


For the Life We Earned

by ColeTReed



Series: HomeHunters [6]
Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: F/M, For the Life Unlived, Gen, HomeHunters, M/M, cole t reed
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-05-01
Updated: 2014-10-31
Packaged: 2018-01-21 11:15:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 12
Words: 34,033
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1548581
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ColeTReed/pseuds/ColeTReed
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The HomeHunters is under tight scrutiny as their hopes for a national organization is in the hands of a committee of federal investigators.  Already stressed out, the HomeHunter parents find themselves in even hotter water as their senior-bound children split into three sides, all bickering and fighting with one and other.  Why have brothers gone against each other?  Why is Michael suddenly the “thoughtful” one?  Why is Gavin acting out and lying frequently?  What is Ray hiding?  Find out all this and more…  Soon…</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Midnight Hour

In the seven years since its opening inception, Club HyDros had innovated with all of the technological advancements that the year 2020 could offer.  

Hanging from the ceiling in the stadium sized dancefloor was the latest in holographic lighting.  The walls, the floor, and even the club-goers appeared to be floating underwater.  The ebb and flow of water was as realistic as anyone  could imagine.  Holographic sharks, whales, and scantily clad merpeople would flow just out of reach of the masses below.

Aside from the hyper-realistic underwater atmosphere, the clubbers themselves were just as spectacular.  Each person wore an intricate silver mask that his the upper portion of their faces, while displaying their “handle” to the side.

Dressed in a wide variety of garments from across the globe (some opting for no clothes at all), the energy was wild and electric.  There was no personal space for any inside HyDros, and by the touching occurring to the far south of the human border, none seemed to mind.

All of this was compounded by the hyperactive music being played live on the main stage.  A masked man, shirtless and displaying a well tamed rug of chest on sculpted pecs, was dripping with sweat.  His hair, a messy long mop of golden blonde, danced in unison with his crazy dance motions. The microphone stand was in his hands, and he was bent over it, singing loudly.

Behind him, a masked woman was blasting her guitar with as much speed and accuracy as someone her age and experience would muster.  Sores had formed around her fingertips, and blood had began to drip onto the white covering.  Unlike the shirtless hunk  in front, the woman was dressed far more modestly.  A floral blouse and well-fitted jeans gave her a formal appeal, while her long brown hair tied off in a ponytail gave off a youthful vibe.

To the corner, the bassist and drummer were keeping an equally energetic pace.  Much like the lead singer, both were shirtless. Unlike the lead singer, however, their pasty white complexions weren’t as alluring.  Masked as the others were, all that was identifiable was their neon green hair.

The music finally came to a stop,  and the crowd erupted into applause.

Stepping forward, the lead singer rose his fist into the air.  ”THANK YOU!  We are Fallout, and we’re gonna rock your world!” he shouted.,

The words got the crowd roaring and cheering loudly.

"We love you V!" a group of women shouted.

"Fuck me in the ass!" one particularly wasted man screamed.  

V chuckled as he adjusted his mask.  ”This one’s for all the lovely ladies out there tonight!” he exclaimed, winking in the audience’s direction.

As the crowd once more lost their shit, Fallout began to strum up for their next set.  Unfortunately, the power is cut, and the entire room lost its ambient lighting.

SWAT teams rushed inside from the many fire exits, quickly surrounding and containing the crowd.  Behind them, a woman with a large megaphone took immediate command.

"Attention clubgoers!  This is a raid!  I am Kathleen Zulech, with the FBI.  You will all be searched for illegal drugs and for identification.  If you have nothing on you, you can go home!  Don’t run, comply with the officers, and everything will go a lot smoother!" she commanded.

Fallout glanced at each other.  Without another thought, they dropped their instruments and bolted to the backstage.

"Stop them!" Kathleen boomed out of the megaphone.

Her voice and the cries of the crowd were soon drowned out as Fallout shot through the backdoor and ran for their lives.  

In the very front, the female guitarist tore off her mask.  ”Goddamn it Gavin, I told you we shouldn’t have played there!  We’re just 18!” she exploded angrily.

The shirtless male from before jumped onto a fence and climbed over it with his friends.  His mask falls off in the struggle.  ”Tina, you can say I told you so later!  We just gotta RUN!” Gavin screams.

The pale males jump over the fence just moments after Gavin and Tina.

"Andrew, if we survive this, make sure I kick Gavin’s ass!" one of the other shirtless men said.

Nodding, Andrew scoffed.  ”Kdin, if we make it out alive, I’m chopping his hair off and feeding it to him!” he shouted.

Turning the corner and into an alleyway, the band screeched to a halt.  

Before them was four fully armed SWAT members, with their guns pointed.

"Don’t move!  You are all under arrest!  Put your hands into the air and behind your heads!  Any sudden movements, and we WILL shoot!" a female agent ordered.

The four teenagers groaned, doing as they were told reluctantly.  Two agents went to their sides, and cuffed all four of them.

"Name?" one agent barked.

Gavin sighed, and slumped his head low as his wrists were bound.  ”Gavin Pattillo,” he finally mumbled.

A younger male agent looked over him carefully. After a few moments, realization struck him.  ”Whoa…  Aren’t you guys Fallout?” he asked.

"Who?" another agent asked.

The agent who recognized them beamed from ear to ear.  ”Yeah!  This is Fallout, that hot new band that’s so popular on YouTube!  My kids LOVE them!  Hey, can I have your autograph?  My daughter would just DIE!” he exploded.

"Pattillo?  As in the HomeHunters Pattillo?"

All the agents cringed in unison.

Gavin rose his head up slowly.  The woman who’d barked orders with the microphone earlier, Kathleen, had finally caught up with them.

Kathleen came within an inch of Gavin’s nose.  ”Are you Jack Pattillo’s son!?” she yelled angrily.

Gavin managed a morose nod.

Backing off, Kathleen rubbed her forehead.  ”Take them to my car.  I’ll deal with them, the rest of you deal with the club,” she commanded.

The group of four were led to the line of FBI cars, with Kathleen close behind.

"I hope you all realize how much shit you are in," Kathleen scathed, as Gavin and his friends were pushed into the back of an FBI van.

+

Only with a year’s worth of pestering, begging and swearing to celibacy until after college had Joel and Geoff finally allowed Michael and Lindsay to share a room.  

At eighteen, the couple of fifteen years was like that of any married duo.  

Michael, having shot up and grown a six pack with a pair of guns, was holding Lindsay tightly in his arms.  His straightened hair was pulled back in a ponytail for the evening hours, so not to disturb his girlfriend.  

Around an inch or so taller than Michael, Lindsay too had grown into a tower of strength and stability.  Hefting feed and tending to livestock at the Shawcross clinic, combined with cheer-leading had turned her into a force to be reckoned with.

Their shared room was not what any would expect of a high school couple.  Two desks were neatly organized with differing subjects.  Chemistry and advanced sciences on Lindsay’s, and wellness textbooks on Michael’s.  Their dresser and closet were equally divided, with well ironed and well folded clothes occupying both.  

Sharing a bed at their feet, the ancient German Shepherd was snoring loudly, as Joe the cat rose up and down rhythmically with the hound’s breathing.

Wide awake, Michael’s gaze was stuck firmly on the back of Lindsay’s head.  Slowly, he unhooked his arms from hers and gently made his way out of the bedroom.  He threw on a t-shirt to accompany his pajama pants, and exited the room.

Michael walked into the first floor living room.  As with every night since summer’s close, Geoff was planted in front of the television set.

The years had treated Mr. Ramsey well, with only his salt and pepper haircut signifying his age.

"Can’t sleep?" Michael asked, stopping briefly to pour himself a cup of coffee from the open kitchen counter.  

Chuckling, Geoff doesn’t even bother to turn around.  “Just a lot on my mind kiddo.  You boys going into your senior year next week, Adam and Hope going into first grade, and the government evaluating HomeHunters for a nation-wide license.  You know, the usual stuff,” he says solemnly.  

The sounds of fake sitcom laughter echoed from the television.

Michael rolled his eyes.  “Dad, you’ve got this.  Caiti and Jack have been working for YEARS on the national project, Joel is smoother than ANY politician, and Emilio Narvaez will bribe anyone that says otherwise,” he explained, taking a seat next to his father.

The mere mention of “Narvaez” causes Geoff’s feeble smile to fall.  

Michael caught it quickly.  “Shit, sorry…  I keep forgetting…” he mumbles beneath his breath.

Shrugging, Geoff shook his head.  “It’s fine.  I mean, if Ray wants to live with his other family for his senior year, that’s all there is to it.  I just don’t understand why he packed up and moved out so suddenly,” he said.  Disappointment was clearly written over his face.

Michael downs half of his coffee.  “Same reason why Gavin moved out with Jack and Caiti, I guess…  More space?  A little privacy?” he offered meekly.  There was little truth to his sarcastic words  Slowly, he turned to his father and tried to catch his attention.  “Want me to ask em’?  I mean, I know me and my brothers aren’t really on speaking terms right now, but I could probably get it out of them,” Michael asked.

Geoff shook his head.  “No…  No, I think this is just something they need to go through themselves.  A part of growing up, so to speak,” he said.  

“Bunch of bullshit, that’s what it is.  We’re a fucking family, and they’re acting like we’re the goddamn plague!” Michael shot back.  A redness covered his face.

Ignoring his son’s rage, Geoff sighed.  “Did I do something?  Did I say something?” he asked rhetorically.  

“No, dad, you didn’t,” Michael assured.

The two sat in silence afterwards.  They blandly watched the television set for hours, not speaking.  The sounds of Joel’s snoring could be heard in the guest room clear on the other side of the house.

“You know we love you, right?” Michael asked.

Geoff smiled.  “I know kiddo.  I know…” he said quietly.  

“Because Gavin and Ray are being little shitlords, but they really do.  When they moved out with everyone else, they made SURE I let you  that you know they love you.  It’s not your fault at all,” Michael said once more, staring intently at his father.  

Grinning, Geoff put on his best puppy-eyes.  “Then tell me why you three aren’t talking to each other and why last month this house was like World War III?” he begged.

Michael stood up and rolled his eyes.  “Trust me dad, you do NOT want to know,” he replied bitterly.  Exiting the room, Geoff was once again left alone as the sun began to rise overhead.  

"Yeah..  Yeah I really would," Geoff mumbled angrily under his breath.

+

 

Sun broke through the curtain’s to Ray’s room.  Groaning loudly, the teenage male kept himself hidden under the covers.

His room in the Narvaez home wasn’t all that well decorated.  Floral patterns, an unused treadmill, and storage from the rest of the home occupied what had once been a guest room.  With the exception of the flat screen television set, a laptop, and countless recording tools, nothing in the room screamed “Ray”.

“Go away…  Wake me up in May or when I can move back home,” Ray mumbled to nobody.

A quick knock on the door made sleeping an impossibility.  

“Ray, it’s mom.  Sweetheart, it’s nearly noon.  Can you let me know if you’re still of the living?” Madeline asked.

Slowly, the thin body erupted out of the covers.  A matted mess of curls flowed down Ray’s forehead, and a black T-shirt with a skull came into view.  

“I’m alive!” Ray shouted as he usually did each morning.

“May I come in?” Madeline asked softly.  

Ray leapt out of his bed, threw on a pair of pajama pants, and shut the rather inappropriate website plastered on his laptop.  He also kicked a suspicious looking backpack underneath his bed.

“I’m decent!” Ray exclaimed.

The door to his room slowly opened.  As beautiful as ever, Madeline’s figure and face were timeless.  In a pink apron covering a white sundress, she smiled as she shut the door back behind her.  

“Sweetheart, I’d like to talk to you a bit, if that’s okay,” Madeline asked.

Ray nodded.  “Anything ma, what’s up?” he asked, taking a seat back on his fluffy bed.  

Joining him, Madeline sighed deeply.  “While a part of me wants to keep my mouth shut and be happy that my baby boy is home with momma, I can’t just sit here and not ask “why”.  It’s been a week since you moved here with us, and you’ve barely come out of your room,” she says woefully.  

Ray turned away.  “Ma, it’s nothing.  Me, Gavin and Michael just had a big fight.  I…  I just need to be away from them for a while, and everything will be fine,” he replied in a monotone voice.

Looking him over once more, Madeline glanced at her son’s growing attire of black.  A disturbing number also was adorned with skulls, or gothic type imagery.  Certainly a departure from his general gaming attire he’d worn exclusively since childhood.

“It’s just…  You were all so close, I can’t imagine any fight being so big that you all had to move out and away from each other!” Madeline said, patting him on the knee.  

Ray continued to look away, not bearing to look his mother in the eye.  “It’s a long story,” he replied dully.

“I’ve got plenty of time!  Your sister and Dan are out on a date, and your father is helping Emilio move into the new NV Headquarters.  So..  I’m totally free!” Madeline exclaimed.

Bobbing his leg up and down nervously, Ray huffed.  “Ma…  It’s kind of private.  It’s not like we automatically hate each other now or anything, we just… We need some space.  We all just need space from each other, from our home, and from our family,” he admitted reluctantly.

Madeline pouted.  “But what about Adam and Hope?  They look up to you three!  What are they going to think of their big brothers not getting along?” she asked.

Ray rolled his eyes.  “Adam and Hope are smarter than all three of us combined.  We should probably be looking up to them,” he offered, hoping to change the subject.  

“What about Geoff, Jack, Griffon and Caiti?  Joel and Kara?  What are they going to think about this broken home?” Madeline asked, a little more pitifully than was necessary.

Plopping down on the bed, Ray curled into a ball away from his mother.  “They’d never miss me.  I just stay to myself anyway.  In my room, recording videos and playing games.  Who’d want me around anyhow?…” he muttered.  

Concern struck Madeline’s fragile face.  “Sweetheart?” she asked.  She touched her son on the back, and felt a chill in his veins.  

“Nothing ma.  Hey listen, I’ve got a lot of stuff to record to day to send over to California by midnight.  You think I could just stay in again?” Ray asked.

Reluctantly, Madeline nodded.  “I suppose so.  Take a break every hour or so, and come down for tea, okay?” she ordered, rather than asked.  

“Yeah,” he replied meekly.

Madeline rose up and quickly made herself scarce.  She exited the room, shutting the door behind her.  

Moments later, Ray scrambled up and locked the shut door.  He then turned back to his room and eyed for the backpack he’d kicked earlier.  Spotting it, Ray reached underneath the bed and placed it carefully atop the floral bedspread.  He unzipped it, revealing countless bottles of colorfully labeled alcoholic beverages.  Selecting a thin purple container, Ray uncorked the top and began gulping it loudly.  Half a bottle later, and Ray sealed it back.   A dazed expression and flushed cheeks soon overtook his peaceful expression.  

“At least here I can get some goddamn peace of mind,” he muttered quietly to himself.

Re-sealing his hidden treasures, Ray hid them once more underneath his bed.  He made his way to a makeshift desk, where his Xbox 3.5 was hooked up carefully to his TV set.  He shakily switches on his recording device, and hooks on a headset.  

The alcohol seeped through his veins, and a playful grin started to cover his face.  

“They’ll love me this week.  I’ll get the most views, the best comments, and I’ll SHOW them I belong in Achievement Hunters!  I’m just as good as Ryan, Miles, Kerry or ANY of the guys!” Ray said to himself.  

With that, he pressed “start” and went off to a wild world of gaming and overly-enthusiastic responses that were beyond his character.

 

+

 

Caiti held Mara in her hands that late Sunday evening, rocking her two-year-old daughter in the safety of a wooden chair.  Hand-carved by Jack himself, it was a lovely addition to their new home.  Built just beside the open field to the HomeHunters mansion, it was a small abode with only three bedrooms, and a single bathroom to be shared by its occupants.  Built of wood not unlike a log cabin, the entirety of the home was formally decorated with modern furniture.  A majority of the room was covered from head to toe in countless photographs from each age and classification of the HomeHunters.  

Looking over the photos, she smiled.  

“Look here Mara, it’s your big brother Gavin and daddy Jack!  This is the HomeHunters group home they helped build two years ago!” Caiti said, pointing to a photograph just beside her chair.  It depicted a particularly sweaty sixteen year old Gavin and Jack holding building materials and repairing an outside wall of a building.   Other children were behind them, excitedly inspecting their new home.

Mara grabbed at the photograph, smiling and cooing.  

She patted her child gently on the head.  “They really are wonderful men.  two of the kindest, gentlest and smartest people I know,” Caiti explained.

The front door to the Pattillo home burst open, nearly flying off its hinges.  It slams into the door side table, where a photograph falls and shatters onto the floor.

Caiti rose her head up, covering Mara’s ears.  

“Go to your room this INSTANT.  I do not want to SEE you right now, I do not want to HEAR you right now, and I ESPECIALLY do not want you to do ANYTHING until school starts, do you understand?!” Jack shrieked.  

The rage in his voice set Caiti to shiver, and she glanced at a sight more terrifying than anything she’d ever experienced.  

Jack was dragging Gavin by his hand with complete brute force.  Downtrodden, the lad’s head was completely faced downward and not facing anyone.  

“No band, no recording, and ESPECIALLY no visiting Cameron.  I want your laptop, your iPhone, and anything that has a connection to the internet.  Fans or no fans, you are GROUNDED,” Jack bellowed.

Stopping in between the living room and the hallway that lead into the bedrooms, Jack released his grasp.  Tears were falling down his cheeks.  “Gavin, how could you do this?  You LIED to me, and said you were playing at a cafe!  You took your friends into a DANGEROUS environment, that has been KNOWN to sell drugs, and has had no less than twenty rape cases.  You could have been hurt!  You could have been killed!  You could have had had unspeakably horrible things happen to you!  For god’s sake, Tina’s BARELY eighteen, and Kdin can barely defend himself!  WHY did you do this!?  WHY would you go to HyDros!?” he shouted.

Gavin kept his eyes glued to the floor.  “They offered us a lot of money to play, and a bonus if we acted like we were over 21.    I…  I thought it’d help us with college or…  Or get our band somewhere,” he mumbled under his breath.

Jack’s eyes froze.

“I…  I’m sorry dad, it’s just…  I know you and mom don’t make enough to send me to college, and…  And I know that singing would never pay the bills, so…  So I just thought that maybe this once…  Maybe I could…  Maybe I could be the one to do something useful,” Gavin said quietly.  

Caiti covered her mouth.

“Go to your room.  I have to call the Deytons, the Jenzens, and Carter and explain why my son dragged them into a nightclub where 12 people were arrested for possession of illegal substances, and why they ran from the federal authorities” Jack spat out.

Gavin brushed past Jack and ran off into his room.  The door was shut quietly.

Collapsing onto his sofa, Jack rubbed his forehead.

Caiti patted Mara on the back.  “You still haven’t told him about the trust?” she asked.

Jack shook his head.  “Of course not.  I’m an idiot, just say it,” he said painfully.

Shrugging, Caiti sighed.  “Don’t feel like it.  So how bad are the charges?” she asked.

He covered his face in a pillow.  “They dropped them, on the condition that all four kids are strictly punished and never caught in a situation like that again.  Kathleen knew about HomeHunters and didn’t want any negative publicity for us.  Thankfully, she has a good team who won’t blab to the press,” Jack explained.

The three of them sat in silence for some time.  A clock’s ticking was all that was offered as noise.  

“What happened to our boys?” Caiti asked, glancing to the wall and focusing on another photograph.  Ray, Gavin and Michael were holding hands as five year olds, in front of a pristine lake that they all knew and loved.

Jack shut his eyes tightly.  “No idea,” he whispered painfully.


	2. First Glance

The HomeHunter park project had been completed 3 years prior, as a joint collaboration between the city of Austin and the Homehunters.  Dedicated to providing a safe environment for youth to play after school, the Heyman family had taken great pride in spearheading  the construction and upkeep of the locale.  Though with their busy lives and schedules, only one of the Heymans had been able to continue their dedication.

Luscious green grass had been painstakingly watered to pure perfection, while the flower-lined gardens spread throughout the twenty acre expanse gave it a wide variety of color and life.  THe pristine blue man-made lake reflected the hot summer sun brightly, as a crowd of HomeHunter “groupers” from the group home fished in it.

“HEY DAN THE MAN!” a teenage girl shouted from said fishing expedition.  From her exclamation, four other boys, and a seven year old girl all turned to wave as well.

Dan Heyman, a six and a half foot giant of a teen, was finishing the last sweep-through for litter as he jogged through the black and white bricked running path.  Sweat dripped off his sculpted abs, and his muscular arms had little difficulty in hoisting the garbage back flung across his back.  As he ran past a group of picnicking girls, several pointed and giggled at his soul patch, and nearly fainted as his backside kept running past them.  Shirtless, and with tight-fitting athletic shorts that would put any 80’s basketball player to shame, he was a sight for many a sore eye.

Smiling, Dan pulled out his wireless earbuds and stopped his exercise routine.  “Hey Groupers, what’s up?!” Dan shouted, cutting off the path and moving towards them.  The kids raced to him, and they met halfway, just beside a bed of bright yellow and red flowers.  

“DAN!  DAN!  DAN!  Hey, listen!  Can you come over and play soccer with us today?!” one boy asked, a little over ten years old.

Dan groaned.  “Sorry guys, after I finish my run and trash pickup, I’ve GOT to head home.  Courtney will be back from her New York trip in a week, and I promised to help mom with some shopping for her coming-home party,” he explained apologetically.

A wide array of “awws” echoed through the crowd.  

In the far back, the girl who first noticed Dan pushed her brothers away.  “Did Courtney sell her comic?!” she exclaimed.

Dan nodded.  “She did!  Not exactly in comic format like she wanted, but a pretty big cartoon channel is buying her idea.  Super Magical Gentleman Vavin is gonna be on TV next year!” he proclaimed proudly.  

The two girls squealed, while the boys in the group groaned.  

“Courtney is so COOL!  All you First Kids are!  You’ve all got your lives planned out ahead of time, and you’re all perfect!” the girl squealed.

Dan’s smile cracked, while his grip on the trash bag loosened.

“Michael’s the State Boxing champion!” a boy shouted.

“Gavin’s almost a rock star!” a girl said dreamily.

“Ray is the HOTTEST achievement hunter!” a teen boy exploded.

“Courtney’s got her comic books, art, and now a TV show!” another girl exclaimed.

Looking away, Dan noticed one of the flowers beside him seemed rather wilted in comparison to the others.  Dying painfully from the heat, there was nothing to save it.  

“Miles and Ryan have their really cool show!”

“Dylan and Mike are so funny on their podcast!”

“I love Chris and Brandon’s spooky radio show!”

The flower stood out from the rest.  Such an ugly display in an otherwise flawless bed of perfection.  Even though it was a perfectly good flower that served its purpose as being an attractive means of pollination, it just wasn’t the one that someone would pick to give to their sweetheart.

“Don’t forget about Ruby!  She’s the best dancer I’ve ever seen!”

Dan’s attention was finally taken as one of the younger kids grabbed his shorts and began pulling at it.  

“Hey Dan…  What are you gonna do when you grow up?  Are you gonna do something cool like everyone else?” the boy asked.

The question threw Dan for a loop.  He stared blankly back at the child’s face, unsure of how to answer.

“Of course Dan is!  Dan’s the MAN!  He’ll do the coolest thing EVER!” another child assured everyone.

Unable to speak, Dan is quietly relieved as the Groupers’ Chaperone for the day called them back to the lake.  They said a pleasant enough goodbye, and forced Dan into coming by later that week if he could.  He reluctantly promised.

 _“What is the big plan?”_ Dan asked himself.

Turning around, Dan started to move back towards the running path.  He plugged in his ear buds, but stopped momentarily.  

Once again entranced by the disgusting display of a flower, Dan bent down and plucked it from the earth.  He twirled it in his hands momentarily, and glanced back down at the bed of tulips.  Without the disgrace of a plant mucking them up, it was a far better picture overall.

“Gotta be…  Better than that,” Dan mumbled under his breath.

He threw the flower inside the trash sack, hefted it over his shoulder, and blasted off at full speed for the last mile of his daily run.  

 

+

 

The downfall of having some of the kindest and most wonderful humanitarian parents in the world was sadly the fact that they often had to work during the summer months.  Early Monday morning, Lindsay pushed a very sleepy child in front of her.  Waking him up early for her parent’s sake come school-time, Lindsay was the guardian of the child for the day.  Though she could only do SO much.  His hair was still wet from a shower, and his HomeHunter T-shirt was still half-on.

Upon reaching the living room Lindsay plopped down in front of him.  She chuckled as the boy shook his hair dry, and fixing it with his hair in the same way his father did.

As many before had explained, Austin Heyman was a miniaturized version of his father’s scrawny physique, but with blonde hair and his mother’s beautiful eyes.  Her seven-year-old brother’s hair even did the funny little punk-up at the front.  

Finally focused, Austin stared at his sister intently.  He then rose his hands up and began motioning them within a fixed space in front of his body.  His eyebrows were furrowed, giving his movements a very sassy back-meaning for those that could understand his unspoken world.

 _“I hate morning.  Can it just go away?”_ Austin said, signing in his own manner of ASL he’d been exposed to in his area’s school for the blind and deaf.  Lindsay, having learned ASL at the same time as Austin, could almost “hear” his words, and knew what he was saying even without the grammatical structure of English she was used to for most of her life.

Rolling her eyes, LIndsay began moving her hands in an equally sassy rhythm, but with a more stern glare about her eyes.   _“_ _School starts next week.  You need to start sleeping more normal and get on a schedule!  You can’t stay up and play games with Michael and Adam all night anymore!”_ she explained authoritatively.  

While not a traditional ASL sign, Austin’s middle finger said volumes.

 _“You are just like dad.  How did I get TWO of him?”_ Lindsay signed, groaning in the process.  

Austin’s stomach grumbled loudly as the two bickered back and forth with a flurry of hand gestures.

Lindsay smiled.   _“_ _Would you like some waffles?”_

Her little brother smiled and nodded.   _“Yes”_   Austin signed right back.

Putting down her purse on the nearby countertop, Lindsay moved to the kitchen and rummaged through the cabinets for the digital toaster.  Austin watches carefully as she then grabbed frozen waffles from the freezer, and threw them into the metallic slots.

Lindsay turned to Austin.   _“_ _You want to press the button?”_ she signed.

Not even bothering to respond, Austin slams his hand on the bright blue button.  A miniature flash of light enveloped the inside of the toaster like a flash photographer’s camera, and two waffles popped out perfectly cooked within a second.  He clapped as they started to smoke.

Wordlessly, Lindsay plated the waffles, buttered them, and poured just enough syrup for him.  She also took a bottle of Sunny-D and let him carry it for himself.  The two walked to the dining room table, and sat next to each other.  

 _“Thanks sissy!”_  Austin signed, just before he started digging into the food at a rambunctious pace.  

Except for the clattering of Austin’s fork against the plate, the two remained silent until the child had finished his meal.  

 _“What would you like to do today?”_ Lindsay asked, as she moved her hands wildly.

Austin shrugged.   _“_ _Can I go play with Julia Denecour?”_ he asked.

Lindsay snorted.  As with anyone in the family, Austin had long since designated a “sign” for everyone’s name he came in contact with frequently.  For Julia Denecour, it was “Rotten Frog Princess”.  Though for a seven year old, it wasn’t all that bad of a name.  Much better than Burnie’s sign of “Rich Butt”, or Gavin’s sign of “Giant Nose”.

 _“That’s not very nice,”_ Lindsay signed back.

Austin rolled his eyes.   _“_ _Can I?”_ he asked, the laziness in his signing clearly signifying his irritation.

 _“I’ll text Chris”_ Lindsay replied, as she pulled out her cell phone.

Huffing, Austin folded his arms.   _“When do I get one of those?!  Typing is easier than signing!  I hate signing!”_

Lindsay finished her text, and rose her head back up.   _“Like mom and dad said, just as soon as you learn sign language well enough and your teachers say you’ve adapted enough.  You have a unique culture, and need to be able to adapt to that.  I know cell phones are faster, but this is better for you to learn.  Besides, what if your cell phone died?  How would you communicate?!”_ she shot back with a faster hand movement.

 _“How would I communicate if they didn’t know sign language!?  If I had a cell phone, it would solve the problem for good!”_  Austin said, waving his hands frantically and angrily.

Lindsay couldn’t really argue that point.  

“Mornin’” Michael said, yawning as he entered the living room.  The miniature argument died down quickly.

Austin beamed as Lindsay’s boyfriend made his way towards them.   _“Good morning Michael!”_ he signed.  For Michael, Lindsay had been rather surprised at his “sign”.  While most of the family had gotten silly signs for their names, Michael had been gracious enough to earn the sign “Strong Man”.  

Michael stopped in the kitchen to grab a bottle of water, and soon joined the two as everyone mosied into the living room couch.  Austin sat in between Michael and Lindsay, scooting closely to Michael.

 _“Good morning munchkin”_ Michael signed lazily.  

Austin’s face turned bright red and his hands raced in the air.   _“_ _I am not a munchkin!  I’m a big boy!”_

Chuckling, Michael ruffled Austin’s hair.   _“I know kid, I know.  Just tasting”_

Austin stepped away.   _“Wrong sign.  VERY wrong sign”_ he explained, shaking his head in abject shame.

Lindsay sighed.  _“I wish you’d practice more,”_  she signed.

 _“I’ve been learning for two years now!  I’d say I’m getting pretty good!”_  Michael signed back.  Even without a voice, Michael’s hands struck each other in a way that symbolized his typical rage.

Austin and Lindsay both shook their heads.  

 _“You suck,”_ Austin signed, giggling.

Before the two could go any further into Michael’s lack of signing etiquette, Lindsay’s phone finally buzzed back.  She read over it momentarily and smiled.

 _“Julia would love to play with you today!  They said to bring Hope and Adam too if we wanted!”_  Lindsay explained.

Austin nodded.   _“Yes!  Let’s bring Hope and Adam!”_ he signed, quickly turning to Michael.  “ _Can you go wake them up and ask your dad if they can go?”_

Standing up, Michael made his way towards the nearby staircase.   _“Sure!  Just a mouse!”_

As he went to retrieve the twins, Austin and Lindsay snorted as his horrifyingly bad signing skills.

“ _He’s funny.  You need to marry him!”_ Austin signed.

Lindsay blushed.   _“_ _Shut up!”_ she said, pushing Austin’s head into a pillow.

 

+

 

The Ramsey Twins occupied the space that had formerly belonged to Ryan and Miles.  Re-decorated from head to toe in scientific designs and star patterns, the once film-based room looked more like a planetarium than a elementary child’s bedroom.

Spread out on his bed with his head hanging off, Adam’s long blonde hair touched the floor.  His thin figure was rather short for his age, so much that his Periodic Table T-shirt hung off his body lazily.  

“Hope, do you think the laws of entropy would possibly cause the universe to implode upon itself when the source of universal energy expired?  Would life as we know it come to an abrupt and painful end?” Adam asked.

On the opposite bed, sitting in the exact same position, Hope’s short brown hair barely moved from her upside down stance.  Like Adam, Hope had a frail figure, but was a little more filled out than her twin.

“Hmm…  Perhaps?  Though what if a process was devised to find a source of energy that could replace the used energy?  A system where we would be the masters of the universe, and puppeting the masses to steal their energy through grief and happiness!” Hope answered as seriously as she could, with a deviously cold tone.

Both laughed darkly.

“Plotting the Madoka sequel, or playing mad scientists again?” Michael asked, chuckling from the door frame.

Adam and  Hope both shoot their brother a scathing look.  

“Shut up, we’re plotting the downfall of mankind and the plans to make us the Incubators!” Hope and Adam said in a creepy unison.

Michael rolled his eyes.  “Gotta make Kerry stop sending you guys anime on demand…  But yes, yes, very cute, I’m so scared.  Hey listen, Austin’s going over to Julia’s house.  You two want to postpone becoming creepy white cats for a couple of hours?” he asked.

Hope glanced at Adam.  “Fryd tu oui drehg?  Cruimt fa ku?” she asked.

Michal slapped his face.  “Really?  You’re having a secret talk right in front of me?  This is just a playdate, not some secret military shit!” he exclaimed.

Ignoring his brother, Adam nodded.  “Zimey ryc y cfehkcad, cmeta, YHT y byng haqd tuun.  Fa’t bnupypmo ryja vih.  E cyo fa ku.”

Hope smiled.  “Ugyo.  Fa’mm bmyh uin mejac yc ajem ujanmuntc mydan.  Mad’c ku!” she replied.

The two rolled off their beds identically, and rushed to their brother’s side.  “World domination can wait.  We’ll go play!” Hope explained.  

Michael nodded.  “Cool.  Come on then, Austin’s waiting,” he said, pushing both of them out of their room.

 

+

 

The Denecour place had moved twice in the years since becoming a HomeHunter house.  The first was to the very first HomeHunter Neighborhood, and the second move occurred during the building of the sixth HomeHunter neighborhood, where Caleb and Jordan became acting managers.  

Happily placed at the end of a long road of identical brick houses, the Denecour home was as beautiful as ever.  Three bedrooms, two baths, and a lovely living area/kitchen combo.  Decorated in warm reds and browns, it was an inviting place that often had company from all over the neighborhood.  

Though one room in particular, a parade of pink and gold, stood out from the rest.  The “throne” of Julia Denecour was like that of any royal keep.  A princess-style bed with shutting silk curtains was centermost, kept to pristine condition at all times.  A large dresser with a huge “gold” encrusted border attracted another round of attention, stocked with costume jewelry and a costume trunk next to it.  

The princess in question, sitting at her dresser, was slowly combing out her long black hair.  At nine, Julia prided her looks over everything else.  An average child with an average frame, Julia took great strides to eliminate the “averageness” about her.  Her pink sundress was perfectly ironed without a wrinkle in sight.  A thin red ribbon stood in front of her dresser, waiting to tie her hair off in just the PERFECT way.  Around her neck, a large white glass pendant rested just above her chest, where it glistened in the sun.

Just as she finished her hundredth hair stroke, a knock came to her door at 8 AM sharp.

“Your majesty, may I enter?” a man asked.

Julia smiled.  “Yes, my King!” she said.

Entering the room, Jordan Denecour stood tall in the frame.  The thirties had hit Jordan well, giving him a deeper tan, a more buffed physique, a funky up-do with his hair, and the same level of style that he’d always been known for.  In a bright lime button-up, he moved quickly behind Julia, and picked up the ribbon in front of her.  Just like every morning since her fifth birthday, Jordan gripped her hair and formed a ponytail.  He then began wrapping the ribbon around it.  

“So, Princess, are you looking forward to playing with Austin and the Ramsey twins?” Jordan asked.

She nodded carefully, as to not disturb the hair ritual.  “Uh-huh.  Austin likes playing castle.  Hope and Adam like being the evil witch and wizard who try to kidnap me, but Austin’s my brave knight who saves me!  If I’m lucky, anyway,” Julia said warmly.

Jordan began looping the last of the ribbon.  Carefully, he formed a bow at the top, as perfectly symmetrical as his daughter liked.  

“Good,” he answered.  Jordan knelt to his daughter’s side and kissed her hand.  “Daddy’s got to go to work, but Brandon will be here all day.  Call me if there’s any trouble, okay?” he said.

Julia nodded.  “Okay Daddy,” she replied, standing up.  Jordan picked her up and swung her around a couple of times in the air as she giggled.

“Be a good princess, and don’t behead anyone this week, okay?” Jordan asked kindly.

Julia rolled her eyes.  “That was ONE time daddy, and we just used a rake!” she proclaimed, folding her arms angrily.

 

+

 

Freshly showered and dressed in his nightclothes, Dan collapsed on his bed.  Despite being worn out from shopping with Kara, playing with Austin, and his late night soccer practice session, he’d still gone over to the group home and played some street-light basketball with the young ones.  The kid had never been happier to see him, and kept him until nearly 11 PM.  

As the clock struck midnight, he huffed loudly.

“B, what am I gonna-” Dan started to ask, stopping immediately.

Turning to the side, Gavin’s empty bed was a disturbing sight to behold.  Still reeling from his best friend’s sudden move-out, Dan was suddenly VERY alone.  He WOULD have just texted or called, but he’d gotten the “do not contact Gavin under any circumstances” speech from Joel.  Whatever Gavin had done, he must have REALLY pissed Jack off, that was for certain.

“Fuck….” Dan thought to himself.  He slapped his forehead.  “Dan, you graduate in a year you piece of shit, and you don’t know ANYTHING about what you’re gonna do!  You’re not like the others, who have their whole FUTURE planned out.  You’re not special, you’re just a musclehead jock that plays soccer well.  A sport that NOBODY in Texas cares about,” he muttered angrily.  

Dan stared at the ceiling for hours.  Ideas of occupations, possible colleges, jobs, and just about every potential skill he might exploit.  

“You’ve got to be COOL, you asshole, you heard those kids.  You just…  You need to matter!” he mumbled to himself.

It was then that it hit him.  Memory of something SOMEONE had said.  Or rather, what a paper had said.

Hopping out of bed, Dan bounded for his desk.  He rummages through several binders atop it, and digs into his backpack as well.  After resorting to his desk drawer, Dan picked up a brochure he’d been handed every fall and winter career fair at school from his coaches and the recruiters.  One he’d never really taken seriously.  Across the front, a bold golden text was draped across a dark blue background.

 

**_The Few.  The Proud.  The Marines._ **

**_Be Something.  Be Someone._ **

**_Matter._ **

 

Dan reluctantly opened it, and started to review enlistment requirements.  


	3. Second Chances

The sunny summer of California was a dream come true to the masses inhabiting the state.  A perfect breeze cut the heat, and gave the humid environment a much needed reprieve.

Laid out on the dunes of a busy public beach, a group of twenty-somethings were enjoying said atmosphere to the fullest.  At least, that would be what many would think, given their outward appearance.

Lounging on a plastic pool-chair, the largest male of the group was stretched out, earning a tan.  His figure or knee-long trunks wouldn’t be winning any Mr. America contests, but still had a muscular outline.  The man rubbed his sandy blonde hair, and turned to another black-haired man just beside him.  

"Hey Miles  Do you feel like-"

The man in question threw up his hand, shushing the man immediately.  ”Ryan, SHH!” he exclaimed.  Miles crossed his legs and adjusted his thin figure.  What muscle he’d once known as a teen had turned into a mild amount of chub, but still an average frame and outline.  Miles then quickly touched an earpiece on the opposite side of his face.  ”Yes, Beverly Caterers?  Now, for the wedding platter, can we get ALL shrimp and clams?  Or do we have to get the chicken sub-crap?” he asked.

Ryan sighed, and rubbed his forehead.  ”I’m going to be SO happy when your damn wedding is DONE!” he shouted, hopping off his chair and moving past Miles.  

On the other side, a blonde haired man was typing away on his laptop.  His gold-blonde hair bobbed up and down, while his face scrunched and focused on the words appearing before him.  

"Kerry?  Can we talk for a second?  Do you feel like-" Ryan asked, interrupted for the second time as Kerry covered his friend’s mouth.

"Busy.  Novel.  Have deadline.  Next week.  My editor Dhruvh has half a million brilliant revisions that I need to get in before my publisher looks at it," Kerry said.

Huffing, Ryan rolled his eyes and passed by Kerry as well.  

He walks for a little bit, towards the water.  Planted in the water, two women were sunbathing, while enjoying the waves crashing against their figures.  

The first, a strawberry-pink haired woman with an exquisite summer body, was holding up a book and reading intensely.  Her neon green bikini accentuated her figure in all the right places.

"Samantha, do you have a minute?" Kerry asked.

So lost in the world of her own invention, Samantha doesn’t even acknowledge her long-time friend.

"Oh Lord Vermont…  Can I pack you up and take you away?" Samantha swooned, clutching Kerry’s latest romance novel to her chest and blushing.

Giving up on Samantha, Ryan turned to the other woman.  Tall, tanned, and with a gorgeous head of black hair, she too was reading intently.  Though her choice of reading was far different, if her Advanced Bio-Mechanical textbook was any indication.

“Arryn?  Do you have a minute?  I wanted to ask you if you-”

Putting down her book, the black circles under Arryn’s eyes broke into Ryan’s.  Her red irises bore a hole into his eyes.  “Ryan, my doctoral thesis is due NEXT MONTH, AND MY ASSHOLE OF A MEDICAL PROFESSOR WANTS ANOTHER FUCKING SOURCE TO PROVE MY COCHLEAR ALTERATION PROCEDURE!  I don’t have TIME to deal with you right NOW!” she screamed bitterly.  Arryn returned to her book, and Ryan stepped away from her quickly.

Sighing, Ryan turned his back on the women, and made his way to a beachside shack just beside the pier.  He waited in line for several minutes, until finally reaching the vendor’s opening.

“What can I serve ya?” the shack’s seller asked.  He was a true California surfer dude, complete with bleach blonde hair, and tanned body.

Ryan groaned.  “Whatever beer is freshest.  Make it a double,” he mumbled.  Handed two bottles of beer, Ryan paid the man, and made his way back to the chair he’d been sit at before.  He popped open the top, and downed half the bottle in a matter of a few minutes.  

“NO!  I SAID HAZEL FROSTING YOU ASSHOLE!” Miles screeched.

Ryan pulled out his cell phone and began texting sluggishly.  

“FUCK YOU TY!  FUCK YOU AND YOUR SELFISH CHARACTER ARC!” Kerry screamed.

Slowly, letters began getting auto-corrected as Ryan’s second beer got opened up.

“KERRY, YOU ARE DEAD!  HOW DARE YOU KILL THEM OFF!” Samantha shrieked, as she threw her book into the ocean’s depths.

Ryan read over the text he’d been sending.

Burnie, I’ve got about a month of vacation time.  Can I take a couple of weeks?  Sorry it’s short notice, but I’d like to leave next week.

 

Waiting for just a moment before sending, he popped his head up.  “Hey guys..  Do you thi..” he said, cutting himself off as he saw his words falling on deaf ears.  Caught up in their own lives and happiness, none of them had time to deal with his own problems.  Not that he blamed them.  

Ryan turned back to his phone and hit “SEND”.  He stood up, and walked away from his friends.  The bus stop wasn’t more than a quarter of a mile away, and they’d never miss him anyway.

 

+

 

The HomeHunters main office had moved a second time three years prior.  Taking up residence in a rented studio building, Geoff and Jack had transformed it into a gigantic office that also doubled as a counseling center.  As the HomeHunter name got more and more popular, it was not all that uncommon for babies to be left on the doorstep, or for law enforcement officers to bring children immediately to their office.  

What had started as a non-profit organization soon evolved into something more.  Serving the community as a resource beyond housing, the entire state had come to rely on them far more than ever before.  Counseling, housing, parental rehabilitation, child care, and just about everything families could hope for.

In the far back of the gigantic studio layout, a walled off glass room was filled to the brim with children of all ages sitting at desks.  At the front of of the classroom-styled room, Caleb Denecour passed by a shiny diploma plaque with his name on it.

“So…  How is everyone doing today?” Caleb asked, with a bright smile.

“GOOD” the class responded in varying tones.  

Caleb nodded.  “That’s great!  Now, I know you’ve all gone through a lot in the past few months, but I’m happy to say that your time with me will soon be over!  HomeHunters 101 will end next week, just before you all return to school!” he exclaimed.

The faces were mixed.  Some seemed relieved, a few laughed, while some were completely petrified.  

Catching the latter, Caleb shook his head.  “Now, that doesn’t mean you can’t come by my office ever again!  I’m the HomeHunter Orientation Director, so my job is meant to make sure each and every one of you feel happy in your new homes, and get the kind of help you all need!  I may act and talk like a teacher, but I want you to know that first and foremost?  I’m your friend!” he said warmly.  

Several of the nervous faces slowly eased.

Sensing the change in atmosphere, Caleb clears his throat.  “Now…  For today’s lesson, I’m going to hold off on the emotional stuff and introduce you to a HomeHunter, just like the rest of you!  One of our Pilot kids, please give a warm welcome for Ms. Meg Ramsey,” he said, motioning to the door of the classroom.

The door opened slowly, and in walked a thin, pale, scarlet headed teenage girl.  Behind a pair of bright yellow glasses, and a flawlessly designed rainbow blouse, Megan Ramsey’s bright smile said volumes to her persona.

Waving, she blew a kiss to the classroom. “Hey guys!  I’m Meg, and I was a HomeHunter just like you a few years ago!  So Caleb asked me to come and answer any questions you have!” she said perkily.

Dozens of hands shot up immediately.

“Kayla?” Caleb said, signifying a small girl in the front, with bright green pigtails.

The girl stood up.  “Meg, was it scary moving into a new house and get a  new mommy and daddy?” Kayla asked nervously.

Meg smiled.  “A little at first, because I’d never known anyone but my own mom and dad.  But my new mom, Griffy,made me feel right at home.  After a couple of days, I was just really happy to have someone that loved me like she did,” she explained.  She moved over to Kayla, and kissed her on the head.  “Trust me sweetie, when you get a new mommy and daddy, they are going to love the TAR out of you!” she assured the girl.

Seemingly satisfied, Kayla sat back down, and hands shot up again.

Caleb pointed to the far back. “Aiden?” he asked.  

A tan boy no older than 10, with spiky black hair stood up.  “Did you ever get to see your mom and dad again?” he asked.

Meg slowly shook her head.  “My mom and dad died, so I never got to see them again.  But my friend Dan got to see his mother again, and they visit every couple of weeks now that she’s gotten to be a better mommy.  My big brother Ryan saw his mom again too, and they have a wonderful relationship now,” she said, turning to some of the more panic-stricken youths.  “At the same time though, some of my friends in HomeHunters didn’t want to see their mom and dad again, because they were mean and hurt them!  My boyfriend Gavin, told me that if his mom and dad hadn’t died, he’d NEVER want to see them again!  So it’s just up to each and every one of you if you want to do that,” she explained.

A tough-looking youth, a boy around the age of thirteen, stands up and glares at Meg angrily.  His backwards cap and sagging shorts would have made for a splendid stereotype.

“Bitch, you really think this shit is all laughs?  That we all get a happy ending now cuz we in your house?  Bullshit.  I been in homes my WHOLE DAMN LIFE, and you fuckers ain’t gonna be ANY different!  I’ll get some cheesy-ass folks who ACT like they care, and then just get rid of me when they don’t wanna fool with me no more!  That’s how the world works you dumbasses!” the male explained to the other kids.

Caleb sighed, watching as some of the younger kids began looking nervous.

Unphased, Meg’s lips purse together and she makes her way to the boy.  She steals his hat and smacks him over the head with it.  

“Of COURSE you aren’t gonna get a happy ending!  Not with an attitude like that!” she spat out.  Smacking him again, she threw the hat in the corner.  “Listen to me, kid, you’re not OWED a good life.  You’re not OWED love.  You EARN those things.  By respecting others, by trying your hardest, and by doing your best in everything you do!” she shouted.  

The boy stared at her painfully, clearly shocked by her words.

Meg turned around and faced the other students.  “Each and every one of you are getting a new home, and will be getting parents that are going to love you unconditionally.  HomeHunters is giving you a place to live, people who want to help you, and a family to live with.  That’s IT.  If you want a happy life, and if you want to be happy, then MAKE yourself happy.  Take this opportunity you’ve been given, and think of it as a brand new start.  Make something of yourselves, and get the help you need to make it happen,” she exclaimed passionately.  Standing once more at the front of the class, Meg’s smile returned.  “Because I had a good home, and parents who loved me, I could love my parents in return.  Because I had love and support, I was able to follow my dreams and learn everything about fashion design.  I’m going to Parson’s next year, and WILL do everything in my power to be the next big designer.  I EARNED those things.  HomeHunters gave me a start, but it was ME that earned it!” she exclaimed.

Kayla stood up.  “So if we work real hard, we can do anything we want?” she asked.

Smiling, Meg nodded.  “Absolutely.  It may not happen overnight, and it may not come true for a long time, but if you try hard enough, and never give in?  Well…  Anything can happen!” she said triumphantly.

To the side, Caleb had ignored most of Meg’s passionate speech.  Instead, he was focused on the foul-mouthed teenager.  Jed had been a problem since day one of HomeHunters 101, and nothing had been able to break through his outer shell.  Though Meg’s words and violent smack seemed to have, if only a little, opened him up.

He smiled as Jed rose his hand up.

“What?!” Meg shrieked stubbornly.

Jed blushed.  “So I gotta EARN it?  Well…  Then I better get the best house, cuz I got a lot of earnin’ to do!” he shouted.

As the two bickered back and forth for several minutes, Caleb smiled proudly.

 

+

 

Carter and Cameron Reed’s home was spotless.  The furniture sparkled, the kitchen smelled of lemon, and the bathrooms reeked of bleach.  Cuddled next to each other on their posh leather couch, the two were both embroiled in their respective books.

“Dad 1…  Dad 2…  Can…  Can I take a break yet?” Andrew begged.

Looking up from their stories, both men were presented with a shell of a man.  Dressed from head to toe in old clothes, a rag atop his head, and a belt of cleaning supplies, Andrew appeared to be trembling mass of a housekeeper.

Carter turned to Cameron.  “Hmm…  I’m not sure…  Cameron, do you think going out to a nightclub, running away from the FBI, and lying to his fathers earns our cleaning machine a reprieve?” he asks spitefully.

Humming, Cameron shrugs.  “How long’s he been going at it again?” he asked.

Andrew’s eyebrow twitched.  “Twelve hours today.  Twenty hours yesterday.  I’ve cleaned the garage twice, scrubbed each toilet half a dozen times, and alphabetized your bookshelves seven times.  The bathtub has been cleaned with a TOOTHBRUSH, and the floors scrubbed with a sponge!  I’ve vacuumed, dusted and pledged half the house.  PLEASE, I BEG YOU!” he exclaimed, falling to his knees.  “I’m sorry!  I’m sorry I lied, I’m sorry I ran, and I’m sorry for going to the nightclub!  Our band just wanted to make it BIG!  Please understand!” he exclaimed.

Cameron and Carter thought for a few moments.  Eventually, Carter finally sighed.  

“Andrew…  Do you REALLY know why we’ve been forcing you to clean the house the last two days?  Why we’ve punished you like this?” he asked.

Andrew nodded.  “Yeah…  Because I lied, because I lied, and because I lied-” he mumbled.

Carter stood up and moved closer to him.  “Andrew, you are eighteen years old.  You are LEGALLY an adult, and you’ve behaved these last few days like a CHILD.  When an adult breaks the law, they go to JAIL.  Their lives are RUINED, and they lose any and all respect they ever had.  Do you realize that?  You could have gone to JAIL!  Do you understand that young man?” he yelled angrily.

Speechless, Andrew didn’t respond.

Carter shut his eyes.  “Cleaning for two days isn’t exactly jail, is it?  Though I can certainly say you’ve lost my respect and trust, and it’s going to take a long time to build that back up young man,” he says.

Shame covers Andrew’s face.  He clenches his fist, but doesn’t fight back.

Pointing to the upstairs, Carter huffed.  “Go get showered and cleaned up.  We’re going to go visit with the rest of your band this evening and discuss this matter as a group.  You are still grounded for the next month, and lose all car and weekend privileges, but your cleaning spree is over.  Now GET!” he ordered.

Andrew bolted out of the room and made his way quickly to the upstairs.  

Still fuming, Carter sighed and plopped down on the couch next to Cameron.  

“What were those guys thinking?!  They’ve always been such GOOD kids, they’ve NEVER done anything like this before!  This is the first time I’ve ever had to discipline Andrew over something so serious!” he shouted angrily.

Cameron patted him on the knee.  “Hun, they’re kids.  They’re gonna make mistakes and screw up.  At least they did it now instead of later.  Besides, I’m sure they’ve got a VERY good reason why they did what they did,” he said.

“They better,” Carter mumbled.

 

+

 

Ryan smiled, watching as his phone blew up as the news of his vacation hit everyone’s radar.

 

_Geoff:  Thank god you’re coming home for a couple of weeks.  You need to talk some sense into your brothers!  Did you know that Gavin actually snuck into a sex-club?!?_

_Jack:  I can’t wait to see you!  You won’t believe how big Mara has gotten!_

_Joel:  I heard you’re coming home.  If you don’t mind, I’d love to see you come speak to some of our new arrivals._

Ryan hadn’t taken long to finish packing.  The text messages made him move all the more quickly.  A few shirts, some shorts, and the bare necessities if the guys needed him from afar.  Checking his flight confirmation once more, he slung his bag over his shoulder and made his way for the front door.  He is, however, quickly stopped as the door opened up.  Standing in the doorway, Burnie glanced at him curiously.

“Ryan, what’s up?  Anything wrong?” Burnie asked.

The “old man” had gotten a little greyer up north, and packed on a couple of pounds since his directing career had truly taken off.  Combined with the income of “Rooster Teeth”, “The Guardians”, and from Kerry’s publications, their company was on the fast track to being one of the best-selling entertainment mediums.

Nodding, Ryan patted him on the shoulder.  “Everything’s FINE, I’m just a little homesick.  Plus, everyone’s so busy with their lives right now, I don’t wanna get in the way.  What with Miles and Arryn getting married, Kerry’s next book, Arryn’s doctorate program, I guess things are a bit crazy.  I just wanna go home and chill out until all of this passes over,” he lied, smiling through it all.

Burnie eyed him curiously, but eventually nodded.  “O…kay….  Have fun bud,” he said, patting Ryan right back.  He allowed Ryan to pass by him, shutting the door behind him.

Though Burnie’s face quickly fell.  He pulled out his cell phone and began typing away on the thin glass pad.  

 

_Team Teeth, assemble._


	4. Third Degree

Inside the HomeHunters kitchen, Joel was curiously glancing over a cabinet.  

In the many years, the thin man had earned a snowy white head of a hair in his trademark spiked manner. Though perhaps most peculiar about his hair was that he had dyed it solid white instead of attempting to hold onto his youth.  He got several jeering remarks from his younger coworkers at their local bar hangout, but had gotten VERY silent as a gaggle of college girls offered their numbers on napkins.  His muscular figure was still in-tact, if not better than what had been in his younger years.  Having a workout freak for a son tended to do that.

Though a line of worried wrinkles were present on his face as he finally shut the cabinet closed.  “Kara, did we already drink the Royal Blue wine?  For that matter, where the hell is our bottle of whiskey?  I swear to God I’m losing my mind, I would have bet money we had more stuff for the party in stock,” he asked.

Looking up from her magazine in the living room, Kara shrugged.  “I don’t know, ask Geoff.  Didn’t we have a toast for Lindsay getting her college acceptance letter?  Maybe we drank it then,” she offered.

Unlike Joel’s anti-youth crusade, Kara had aged much more gracefully in the years.  Her blonde hair was cropped and short-cut, framing her face nicely.  Her figure was the same as always, if not a little thinner.  

Sighing, Joel just shook his head.  “I’m not crazy, right?  We did tell the kids that if they’re going to drink they do it out in the open and with US around.  That they DON’T hide it, right?” he asked.

Kara chuckled.  “Joel, our kids know better than to get drunk or steal our booze.  Besides, the only two kids in our whole house that drinks regularly are Michael and Gavin.  Ray and Dan refuse to touch the stuff,” she explains.

“Yeh, I suppose that’s true,” Joel said, maneuvering his way out of the kitchen and towards the living room.  “Well, in that case, add a bottle of wine to our shopping list.  Our investors are going to want something to drown out Caiti’s long-ass speech,” he joked.

Kara rolled her eyes.  “BE NICE.  Remember, Caiti’s our boss now that Jack and Geoff promoted her to CEO.  It wouldn’t kill you to kiss a LITTLE ass,” she exclaimed.

Huffing, Joel plops down next to Kara and kisses her on the forehead.  “There, I kissed some ass,” he replied.

“I loathe you,” Kara responded, kissing him back on the cheek.  

Before any more mush could be exchanged between the two, the front door to the house opened up and Lindsay walked through with her entourage of tiny kids close behind.  Michael, in his unusually stoic demeanor was the last to follow behind them.

Joel watched as Hope and Adam were signing with his son.

“She likes you!  I bet she wants to kiss you!” Hope signed.  Her hands moved mockingly, as if jeering while speaking.

Austin rolled his eyes.  “(Julia) does NOT like me!  We spent the whole day fighting!  I totally threw that frog in her hair!” he responded.

Adam chuckled and moved his hands in a slow, calculated manner.  “That’s because you both have a suppressed desire to be around each other and have no idea how to adequately express it.  So instead you pick at each other to try and make romantic advances,” he explains.

Joel and Austin glance at each other, unable to keep up with Adam’s complicated signs.  

Sighing at his intellectual inadequates, Adam lifts his hands once more.  “(Julia) and (Austin) sitting in a tree!  K-I-S-S-I-N-G,” he signs.

Austin proceeds to pull Adam into a headlock and wrestle him to the floor while Hope referees the match.

Ignoring the impromptu WWE matchup, Lindsay steps over the fighting children and moves towards her parents.

“Hey guys, how was work?” Lindsay asks politely.

Joel sighs.  “An unmitigated nightmare.  Jack didn’t even come in today, he’s too busy watching Gavin after the HyDros crap.  Geoff’s distracted with YOU THREE PULLING YOUR SHIT!” he yells, directing his rage towards Michael.

Sighing, Michael plops down on a recliner and shrugs.  “Whatever,” he replies weakly.  There was little warmth in his words.  

Joel ignored Michael’s passive attitude and turned back to Lindsay.  “Caiti found us some investors, and we’ll be having a little get together later this week at our house.  Nice clothes, black tie event.  All of the kids and everything,” he explained.

Michael groaned loudly.

“SHUSH YOU,” Joel barked.  

Rolling his eyes, Michael stood up and walked past all of them.  “I’ve got a gym appointment tomorrow morning.  I’m heading to bed,” he said, waving everyone goodbye.

Concern strikes their faces, as they look at the still shining sun high in the sky.  

Joel turned to Lindsay.  “What the fuck is wrong with him, seriously?  He’s like a fucking zombie.  It’s been a month since he yelled at ANYONE,” he asked.

Lindsay sighs.  “I have no idea.  All I know is that I walked in the house last week, saw the three of them going at it like World War III.  They were done arguing by then, but EVERYONE acted like their dog died,” she explained.

“Michael won’t tell you?” Kara asked.

She shook her head in response.  “He asked me really nicely not to bring it up.  So I’m not going to.  There are things we just don’t like talking about, and we respect that,” Lindsay explained calmly.  

Joel sighs.  “Well whatever the hell happened, I wish SOMEONE would let us in on it,” he exclaimed angrily.

“I GIVE, I GIVE,” Adam shrieks.

Hope signs to Austin and the scrawny child lets go.  He then proceeds to do a small victory dance over his defeated opponent.

Kara lifts up her hands and starts signing to her son.  “Who taught you to be so violent and self-independent?” she asks, with an oddly proud smirk on her face.

Grinning, Austin signs quickly.  “My bro (Michael) did!  He showed me how to beat up bullies if they try and make fun of me for being deaf.  He even showed me the BEST way to hit someone in the nuts!” he said eagerly.

Lindsay ruffled Austin’s hair as he hopped on the couch with the rest of his family.  

“You really like (Michael) don’t you?” she asked.

Austin nodded eagerly, but suddenly got a very pained look on his face.

“(Michael)’s awesome!  But…  Is (Michael) okay?  He looks real sad and won’t fight with me anymore.  His face doesn’t make those funny mad changes anymore,” he asked very seriously.

Lindsay didn’t bother to answer, but her crestfallen expression said volumes.

 

+

 

Inside of his room, Michael was laying back on his and Lindsay’s shared bed.  Snoring softly on his chest was Edgar.  The old dog’s breathing had become labored over the years and his muscle tone had given way to more fat.  He was old.  Ms. Shawcross said that Edgar had already lived five years longer than any German Shepard’s natural life span, and that it was a miracle that he still had the energy to get up and go.  

Everyone knew his time was coming.  Even Edgar did.  

Yet, he still always had the strength to climb up on Michael’s chest and be there when he needed him the most.

Michael rubbed Edgar’s head gently.  

“Buddy…  Everything’s so fucked up…” he mumbled.

“Awoo,” Edgar replied lazily.  

Sighing, Michael took a deep breath.  “I fucked up.  I fucked up BAD,” he explained quietly.

Edgar flipped his head up and eyed Michael with a sad set of eyes.  

Michael kept petting Edgar’s head gently.  “It’s a long story, you sure you wanna hear me bitch about it?” he asked quietly.

Faithfully enough, Edgar nodded.

Taking a deep breath, Michael shut his eyes tightly.  “I caught Ray stealing booze out of our cabinet.  When I called the prick out on it, he dropped his bag.  Holy shit Edgar, that bastard had enough booze to make hillbilly moonshiners shit their pants,” he explained quietly.

“Woowooo” Edgar said, frowning at the knowledge.

Rolling his eyes, Michael pulled Edgar in closer to him, hugging the dog tightly against his chest.  “Then while WE were arguing, Gavin came inside and told us about his gig at club HyDros.  That he and his Fallout band were going to be headlining there and get paid like a couple of grand,” he said.  Sighing, Michael rubbed his forehead.  “Then I tried to tell that fucker it was a BAD idea, since that club has a really raunchy  reputation, but does he agree?  NO!  He calls me a “goddamn tosser” and says I’m just jealous.  That fucking PRICK Ray agrees with him!” he yells bitterly.  

“Woof,” Edgar replies, clearly disgusted.

“I know, right?!” Michael shouts.  He shakes his head.  “So I told them both they were stupid as hell and there was NO REASON they should be acting like that.  I said “YOU’VE GOT A GODDAMN PERFECT LIFE NOW, STOP SCREWING IT UP!”,” Michael exploded.

“Awoof,” Edgar said, less than pleased with his master’s attitude.

Michael folded his arms.  “OKAY, so maybe I didn’t have to be THAT big of a dick, but you won’t BELIEVE what Gavin said!  That son of a bitch came out and said “LIKE FATHER LIKE SON!  YOU AND YOUR FUCKING MOUTH PISSES EVERYONE OFF!  I FEEL SORRY FOR LINDSAY, SHE’LL PROBABLY GET HER ASS BEAT THE NEXT TIME YOU LOSE YOUR FUCKING TEMPER!” he screeched.  

Edgar’s jaw dropped for just a moment, before licking Michael on the face.

Huffing, Michael just shook his head.  “I told BOTH of them to get the fuck out of my house.  That I’d NEVER be like that bastard and would OFF MYSELF before I let that happen,” he answered.  Slowly, Michael curled into a ball, clutching Edgar tightly.  “I said all that shit, but…  Buddy…  What if they’re right?  What if I grow up to be JUST like that asshole?  Genetics and all that crap.  I mean, in Biology, they say we inherit all kinds of crap from our parents.  I mean just LOOK at Ray and his pops!  They’re fucking clones and have the same attitude about everything!” he said worriedly.

Slowly, Edgar rids himself of Michael’s grasp and pulls himself right next to Michael’s face.  He then proceeds to chomp on Michael’s hair and growl angrily.

Michael pushes him off.  “Stop that,” he says, sighing.  He starts to rub Edgar’s head again.  “I’m just gonna have to watch it with my mouth and not be such an asshole.  If I watch it, I won’t be like him…  I just…  I just have to not be ME,” he shouts bitterly.

A knock comes to his door.  “Michael?  Can we come in?” Adam asks.

Sitting upright, Michael and Edgar shift to the headboard.  “Come in,” he responds rather monotonically.  

The door pushes open, and Adam makes his way in with Austi close behind. They both leap on the bed and immediately begin petting Edgar.  

For the sake of Austin, Adam begins signing.  “(Michael), (Austin) just kicked my butt in wrestling.  Can you teach me  to fight like you did (Austin)!?  ” he signs eagerly.

Austin rolls his eyes, but begins to sign with huge gestures.  “ME FIRST!  I’m the poor deaf kid, remember!?  I wanna learn how to flip people over my body!  I’ll be the coolest kid at school!” he signed eagerly.  

Michael shook his head.  Slowly, he lifted his hands and signed very carefully.  “(Austin), I taught you how to fight because I wanted you to be safe in the world and keep the big kids from picking on you.  That stuff is not supposed to be used all the time unless you’re in sports,” he explained.  He then turned to Adam.  “And YOU don’t need to know how to fight.  You’re smart enough to get yourself out of problems by just using your mouth.  You don’t need brawn,” Michael explained.  

Austin splayed out on the bed, and slowly slipped off the mattress.  His hands barely reached over the top of the bed, but were visible to both men.  “(MICHAEL), come on!  You’re no fun anymore!  What’s wrong with you?!”  We just wanna be like you!” he asked, clearly begging.

Adam pouted.  He slid down beside Austin and signed alongside him from the safety of the floor.  “Please (Michael), what happens if zombies overtake the US and all of you become the living dead?!  We won’t know how to defend ourselves!” he signed eagerly.  He takes a moment and from the privacy of the floor, his face weakens.  “What if someone makes fun of Julia or Hope?  I got to kick their asses, don’t I?” he signed frantically.

Michael sighed.  Edgar looks up and huffs in his face.  “Fine.  Just a QUICK lesson though,” he reluctantly signed.

 

+

 

Out by the public pool, two strapping teenage boys were sun-tanning in the warm sun.  

The taller of the two, a dark-complected male with a stunning tan and dark goatee, crossed his legs as he adjusted his sunglasses.

“Princess Julia, did we REALLY have to come all the way out here?  Couldn’t we

Beside them, Julia Denecour was wearing a bright pink bikini, and shading herself with a neon pink umbrella.  Her ivory white skin was not about to get an ounce of sun.

“Brandon, did you SEE that horrible creature that Austin threw on me?  My nerves are completely rattled, I needed some sunlight to calm myself down!” Julia said, covering her face with her hand.  

The shorter teen, just as pale as Julia but with a goofy smile, rolled his eyes.  “Julia, you’re not getting any sunlight anyway.  Why bother coming all the way out here?” he asked.

Julia sat upright and proceeded to smack the shorter one with her toy paper fan.  “SHUT UP CHRISSY!” she screamed.

Brandon and Chris both chuckled.  

“Princess, don’t even worry about it.  Whatever you says, GOES,” Brandon explained, patting her on the head.

Julia huffs.  “That’s better” she said, laying back down on her sun chair.  She begins to fan herself rapidly.  “Now get me a snowcone,” she order.

Hopping up, Chris smiles her way.  “Bubblegum?” he asks.

“Naturally,” Julia smiles with a happy smile.  

Nodding, Chris runs towards the concession stand across the pool area.  

Left to their own devices, Brandon turned his head to Julia.  “Feeling okay?  You’re not too hot are you?” he asked, clearly concerned.

“I’m FINE Brandy.  Quit asking, it’s annoying,” Julia replied.

He smiled and nodded.  “Your hair looks adorable.  Dad did a good job on the ribbons today,” Brandon said, complimenting Julia’s flowing, gorgeous, raven-black hair.  Her bow that Jordan had tied was holding strong, despite the play-date with Austin and the twins.

“Thanks Brandy.  Daddy does my hair real pretty,” Julia says happily.  

There is a silence between them.  The sounds of the pool passersby splashing in and out of the water and the chasing back and forth between siblings echoed throughout them.  

“Brandy…  Do you think I’ll like school this year?” Julia asked, rather despairingly.  

Brandon slid his sunglasses closer to his face.  The outline left an indentation in his skin.  “You’ll LOVE it.  Hope and Austin are in your class this year, Dad already called the principal.  Mr. Reed helped us out too,” he said confidently.  

A gentle smile covered Julia’s face.  “Yeah..  Then next year, I’ll love it even more!  And the year after that, and the year after that!  Until I’m as big as you and Chrissy!  Then I’ll get to go to prom and look pretty like Aunt Lindsay!  Maybe I’ll even have a boyfriend as good as Uncle Michael!  We’ll have a BIG wedding, and I’ll become a Queen!  The most beautiful queen in the entire world!  Hope can be my best lady, and I MIGHT invite Austin if he’s not a doo-doo head,” she exclaimed as though it were fact.  

Brandon moved his hand to Julia’s and gripped it tightly.  Seeing the redness in her eyes, Brandon removes his own sunglasses and covers her face with it.  Though as he did, his own eyes were stained red and trembling.  

“Yeah…  Jordan will probably have to give you away, cuz Caleb’s a big baby who cries at weddings.  We’ll have a big dance with all kinds of lights.  I’ll dance with you all night long and make your King jealous,” Brandon says, grinning slightly.

Julia chuckled as she tried to cover her face with Brandon’s oversized glasses.  “Then I’ll be just like Daddy and Daddy, and adopt kids like me!  We’ll fill our castle with them!  We’ll have as many as Daddy lets me have, and then I’ll steal a couple more.  You and Chrissy can come live with us too!  There will be PLENTY of room, I promise!  After all, my King will be rich and we’ll all be happy forever and ever!” she shouted.

Her brother nodded in response.  “Yep…  You’ll have your happily ever after, I promise my Princess,” Brandon said, choking up as he spoke the words.  

“One bubblegum snow cone!” Chris exclaimed.  Looking up, Brandon and Julia saw Chris running back to them with the largest pile of shaved ice imaginable.  Bright pink, it was already melting in the hot sun.

“YAY!” Julia shouted, taking the frozen treat and digging into it as quickly as possible.  

Chris plops down next to Julia.  “So Princess…  What would you like to do tomorrow?  School starts soon, so we don’t have much time lef-…  I mean…  Summer’s about over!  We should do whatever we can these last couple of days!” he says, quickly changing tempo midway through his speech.

Taking a moment to bite into a particularly large serving of her pink goodness, Julia thinks for several minutes.  “Hmm…  Can Austin and I go to the movies?” she asks plainly.  Though she quickly blushes.  “I…  I MEAN CAN AUSTIN, HOPE AND ADAM GO TO THE MOVIES?!  I DIDN’T JUST MEAN ME AND AUSTIN!” she exclaimed, clearly flustered.

Brandon and Chris both chuckle.  “Sure.  You want to see that one movie again?  What was it called?” Brandon asked.

Julia rolled her eyes.  “MADOKA!  IT’S CALLED MADOKA AND IT’S THE BEST SHOW EVER!  Me and Austin and Hope and Adam love it!” she exploded.

“Why’s that?” Chris added, eyeing her curiously.

AS though it were the dumbest question alive, Julia scoffed.  “Because you get to make a wish come true, you dummies!  Then you get to be awesome and powerful and PRETTY!” she said eagerly.

Both brothers got very quiet, very quickly.

 

+

 

Inside her own room, Hope was busily analyzing a physics textbook she’d stolen from Lindsay.  None of it made any sense to her.  The numbers, the records, the lessons?  They might as well have been in a completely different language.  Yet, Hope continued to read the material over and over again.  Much like Austin did with his Biology textbooks, they struggled to understand materials far beyond their years or ability to learn.  

Looking up into her dresser’s mirror, Hope huffed frustratingly.  “Why does entropy have to be so hard to understand?!  I need to learn how to make me and Adam be incubators NOW, just like in the movie!  I have to make Julia’s wish come true!  If I don’t then…” she exploded.  

Without hesitating a moment further, Hope returned to her studies.  “Entropy is a thermodynamic quantity representing the unavailability of a system’s thermal energy for conversion into work, often interpreted as the degree of disorder or randomness to the system,” she repeated for the fiftieth time.  Sighing, Hope went to immediately pull out a dictionary she kept in her desk.  “I’ll do it just like Lindsay taught me..  Look up each word you don’t know until you know them all!  Now what does…  Thermodynamic mean?” she asks herself.


	5. Fourth Wall

Summer vacation had finally come to an end for the HomeHunters, much to their mix of joy and reluctance.  On the early side of August, the kids found themselves outside of the local high school.  Teenagers of all ages were crowding the front entrance, catching up with their friends and making their way to the main office to pick up their schedules.  Some of the football players were already hustling across the street from the local stadium, with wet heads from the showers from their early morning practice.  The stoners were in their usual spot, munching on cheetos and offering passing students miniature snicker bars.  

Shutting the door to his Mustang, Gavin hefted his school messenger bag over his shoulder and glanced around him.  Unlike most first days of school, he didn’t have his family in the backseat critiquing his driving or throwing discarded bottles at the back of his head.  He didn’t even have his bandmates rushing up to meet him, considering his punishment kept him from even talking to them until the next month.  

“Guess…  Guess i might as well just go on in,” Gavin mumbled to himself.  Locking the door, he left the school parking lot and made his way to the front entrance.  

It was then that Gavin noticed the first of his family in the busy crowd.

Dan, with his head down, was walking next to some of his track and soccer teammates.  While he typically towered over them, the man’s hunched shoulders gave him the appearance of a much shorter, much more feeble male.  

Right behind him, was Michael and Lindsay.  Lindsay was giddily talking to Michael at a million miles a minute, likely about the upcoming school days or perhaps something about Austin’s first day of public schooling.  Unfortunately, Michael seemed to be a million miles away.  His eyes were glazed over, and his stare in another world completely.  He wasn’t wearing his usual sports attire, and had instead opted for a tight-fitting polo.  Instead of his contacts, he wore glasses.  His hair was neatly cared for, and had been straightened to a shoulder-length.  

Not far behind, he could just barely make out Chris and Brandon.  Their looks were the same as they’d held since last spring.  Distraught, worried, and generally stressed out.  Unlike he used to, Chris had stopped bringing his recording equipment for his podcast club at lunch.

Though unsettling, none of it compared to the last person he could see within his range of sight.  In all black, from his black and white tribal t-shirt to his scuffed jeans, was Ray.  Walking side-by-side with Mia in her long white sundress, he looked like something out of bad vampire flick.  Whatever had made him flip into such a drastically different person in the span of one month was a mystery to them all.  

“What happened to us?  Is this all because of that fight?  What the fuck..  What the fuck is going on?” Gavin thought.

Huffing, it took Gavin a moment to realize that he’d been standing completely still and was virtually the last person in the parking lot.  Before he knew it, the bell had rang loudly, and he was brought back to his senses.  Jogging towards the main entryway, he threw open the door and started towards the gymnasium for their opening assembly.

 

+++++

 

The gymnasium was packed to the maximum capacity with each and every student in the school in attendance.  Sitting on his own, next to Meg and the rest of his music friends, Gavin tried to block out all the noise around him.  Focusing on the school principal, Mr. Reed, he waited patiently for the commencement speech to begin.

Taking his position behind a podium at the center of the gym, Mr. Reed picked up his microphone and tapped it gently.

“Good morning everyone!” Carter exclaimed with a bright smile.  

The student body responded with varying degrees of greetings, some bright, some less than enthusiastic.  

Mr. Reed chuckled. “Yes, well..  Either way it goes, I’d like to welcome all of you to a fresh new year of school!  I know, I know…  It’s school, and you can’t get TOO excited about everything, but let’s at least try to care for my sake!” he said jokingly.

The auditorium chuckled.

Rolling his eyes, Mr. Reed began moving to the far side of the gymnasium, where all of the seniors sat.  Glancing towards the sets of eyes belonging to the HomeHunters, he smiled.

“For many of us…  This is our last year before we go on to bigger and better things.  I have great hopes for our Senior Class this year.  We have some of the best and brightest students in this senior class, who I know can do remarkable things with their lives,” he said.

Dan flinched.

“Not only that, but I know that there are those of you who have gone through great tragedies in your life, and have overcome them.  The worst is behind you, and the future is yours to command!” Mr. Reed said.

Michael cringed.

“As you age, you will come to the point where you will soon try to find your place in this world.  Your possibilities are endless, and I believe anything is within your abilities. Will you be doctors, helping to heal the sick and ailing?” Mr. Reed asked.

Brandon and Chris exchanged a worried glance.

“Perhaps you will follow your dreams and utilize the talents and skills you have honed over the years?  There is a remarkable talent pool in our school that I  believe can change this world for the better,” Carter explained.

Gavin pulled his knees to his chest.

“Wherever your paths may take you, I’m sure you will be capable of climbing every mountain!” Carter said.

Pulling out a bottle of “water”, Ray took a long swig of the clear liquid before capping it and throwing it back in his bag.  

“Gavy?” Tina asked.

Turning around, Gavin spotta Tina plopping down behind him.  He immediately turned back to look away from her and pay half-attention to Mr. Reed’s latest “uplifting” speech.  

“Can’t talk Tina, sorry,” Gavin half-mumbled.

Rolling her eyes, Tina leaned down to whisper in his ear.  “Gavy, don’t be a douche.  Listen, when we all get ungrounded, are we going to start practicing again?  Did you SEE you review that HydRos gave us?  We’re HOT!” she said in a hushed, yet excited tone.

Gavin shut his eyes.

“Tina…  If you guys want to keep going, go ahead, but….” he said, taking a moment to breath.  Sighing, he shook his head.  “I’m not going to be joining you.  I’ve got to start focusing on my future, and a way to make money so I’m not a burden to my family.  I’ve got to be thinking about college, and my future,” he explained.

Beside him, Meg immediately shot him a peculiar look.

Tina nearly fainted on the spot.

“WHAT?!” Meg exclaimed.  

Gavin just returned focusing on Mr. Reed.

“Your future is yours to earn!  How you earn your particular future is up to you and you alone.  I have faith that all of you can succeed,” Carter explained.

Gavin shut his eyes.

“I haven’t earned jack shit,” Gavin thought to himself.

 

+++++

 

In the corner of the cafeteria, away from the world and anyone he knew, Ray was thumbing through his smartphone.  His latest recording had gone up that morning, and he was scouting out the comments section.  

With his “water bottle” in hand, Ray held his breath as he finally reached the section he’d been looking for.

 

_FFS, you SUCK_

_How much of a fucking life does this guy have to be THAT good at video games?  Bet he’s still a virgin, the pussy._

_I am so sick of this “Ray” guy.  Why don’t you just fire him already?  Bring back the old days with Miles and Kerry!_

_Fucking mexican-ass wannabe thinks he’s good.  1v1 me IRL SCRUB._

_Lol, halo.  Console peasant loser-ass._

_Good game!  You’re really talented!  :)_

_Raging faggot ass.  What’d you do, let the boss fuck you to get your job?  LOL._

 

Ray calmly dropped his phone on the table.  Taking a deep breath, he uncapped his water and took a long drink.

“Ray, it’s not even 1 in the afternoon and you’re buzzed.  For God’s sake, this is becoming a problem,” Mia said.

Looking up from his lunch table, Ray spotted his sister standing over him.  Like always, miss perfect had it all together.  Perfect hair, perfect attire, and flawless makeup application.  As she’d grown in the years, Mia had become a stunning beauty.  Her silky black hair went down to her backside, and never had a single hair out of place.  Her and Dan had been in the Homecoming court since their freshman year, and was without a doubt in the running for prom queen, right up there with Lindsay and Meg.  Though behind that beauty, was a remarkable intellect.  In her hands, an AP Government and AP Law book were thick and intimidating.  

“Shaddup,” Ray slurred, rubbing his forehead as a headache started to form.

Sighing, Mia shook her head as she took a seat next to him.  “Ray, alcohol does not make the pain go away.  in fact, it does the opposite.  Alcohol is a downer and is just going to make you feel worse!” she tried to explain.

Ray shrugged it off, only barely picking as his lunch plate.  “Shouldnt you be sitting with your boyfriend?  Why are you bugging me?” he asked.

Ribbing him with her elbow, Mia huffed.  “Because I’m your sister and I care about you,” she said, cracking open her law book.  Her eyes were skimming through the material at the pace of a doctoral candidate on a caffeine buzz.  “And because Dan is acting really weird and wanted to sit with the ROTC guys for some fucking weird reason,” she also admitted.  Turning the page mere moments after starting to read it, she didn’t take her eyes off her book.  “So…  Still getting shithead comments?” she asked.

Groaning, Ray slammed his head against the table.  “YES.  For fuck’s sake, I don’t know what I did!  One day I’m the cute kid that everyone wants to see more of, and the next day everyone hates my fucking guts!  Ever since they put me in charge of most of the daily content, all I get are shitty comments about people wanting me fired!  I’ve tried everything to be like Miles was!  I make the same jokes, I get wasted before recording, and I never talk about anything but funny stuff!  No politics, no religion, nothing!” he exclaimed.

Mia turned another page.  “Have you talked to Miles about it?  Maybe he’d have some solid advice for you?” she asked.

Ray rolled his eyes.  “No.  I’m not about to go whining to my boss because the guys online are hurting my feelings.  I’d look like a goddamn moron,” he replied.

Stopping her speed-reading momentarily, Mia turned up to Ray.  “Okay, so let’s just wallow in alcohol that you’re stealing from all our friends and family.  Let’s go all depressed and black and not talk to anyone anymore. That’s a MUCH better solution!  So mature Ray, so very mature,” she barked back.  There was a fierce redness in her eyes.  One that matched Madeline’s fury.

Merely shrugging again, Ray laid his head down on the table, not acknowledging his sister’s words.

Seeing that she wasn’t getting through, Mia rubbed her own forehead.  “Okay then, why don’t you go talk to your brothers?  Maybe they’ve got an idea?” she offered.

“I hate my brothers.  Michael’s an asshole and Gavin’s an idiot,” he replied immediately.  Without  even clearing his plate or table, Ray pulled up his black backpack and moved for the exit.  

Mia returned to her books, reading at a quick pace once more.  “Why are the boys in our lives such idiots?” she asked herself.

Plopping down without an invitation, Meg sat within an inch of Meg’s face.  

“Girl, we’ve got a problem.  Gavin has lost his fucking mind, and I don’t know what to do!” Meg exclaimed bitterly.

“Join the club,” Mia remarked, not stopping for a moment.

Within seconds, Lindsay joined on the opposite side of Mia.  Though not as distraught as Meg, her curved smile was less than inviting.

“Okay, so Michael’s a zombie and acting weird.  He doesn’t even want to eat lunch with me, and has gone to see the counselor,” Lindsay remarked sadly.

Meg folded her arms.  “What have our idiots done, and why do I get the feeling like there’s more to this than meets the eye?” she asked.

“Because they’re our idiots, and you’re probably right,” Mia remarked.  She took a deep breath.  “Let me finish memorizing this case law, and we’ll talk about how to fix this in a couple of minutes,” Mia said.

 

+++++

 

The counselor’s office had changed a lot over the years.  Originally an unused block of the school with the stigma of mental disabilities reigning over the heads of hormonal teenagers, Mr. Reed had re-worked the area since taking over as principal.  Hiring a younger, yet qualified specialist in adolescent children, more modernized counseling was available.  Kids felt more comfortable talking to a “pal”, rather than the old far that held the position earlier and was known as a horrible gossip and tattler.  

Sitting in the recliner across from Caleb, Michael sighed loudly.

“You’re not gonna go bitching to my dad, right?” Michael asked.

Caleb chuckled.  “Of course not.  I’m a counselor first, HomeHunter director second, and nosy uncle-like figure last.  What is said here, stays here,” he replied.  Crossing his legs, Caleb smiled.  “What’s the deal?” he asked.

Taking a deep breath, Michael shut his eyes.  

“Do you know a lot about my biological father?” Michael asked.

Caleb shook his head.  “Not much, sorry,” he replied.

“Do you know a lot about genetics?” Michael asked.

Again, Caleb shook his head.  “I was always shit at science, sorry,” he said.  

Michael slowly opened his eyes up.  “Did you know that some stuff is genetic?  Like behavior and shit?” he asked.

“Oh?” Caleb remarked, with a knowing look.

Nodding, Michael fiddled with his thumbs.  “Like, they’ve done studies and stuff.  Apparently we inherit traits of our parents personalities.  So like, if my dad was an alcoholic, I’m more susceptible to stuff like that too,” he said.

“Makes sense, “Caleb said.

“Yeah,” Michael replied.  His grip tightened on his hands, and he moved them directly to his knees.  “So…  I’m scared of stuff like that.  Because of what my dad was, I’m afraid that…  I might be like that too,” he said.

His curiosity piqued, Caleb tilted his head.  “What was your dad like?  What are you afraid of inheriting from him?” he asked.

Picturing Lindsay in his head, Michael took a moment to catch his breath.

“My dad was a man who beat my mother senseless and eventually murdered her with a knife.  He had a temper control problem, and loved picking on people weaker than him,” Michael explained.

Caleb’s jaw tilted, and stood agape for several moments.  Color started to escape his cheeks.

“I don’t wanna be like that.  I don’t wanna hurt Lindsay, I love her too much for that…  So…  I’m scared that’s what I’m going to be if I don’t fix myself,” Michael finished, looking to the man for guidance.  “What can I do?  What can I do to change myself completely?  Isn’t there some shrink shit you can do?” he asked.

Caleb, after regaining his composure, chuckled.  “Michael, that’s ridiculous.  Even if you did have that sort of predisposition, in the end you’d have to choose to be like that.  There is no way you’d ever do that to anyone.  ESPECIALLY Lindsay.  You two have been closer than anyone I’ve known in my life!  Ever since you were six years old, you two have had the perfect friendship!” he exclaimed.

Michael tried to listen.  He tried to take in all of Caleb’s words, which were constantly reassuring him.  He tried to remember everything he’d ever learned in life.  

Yet a single sentence kept coming back to haunt him.  Words he hadn’t heard in over thirteen years, yet still proved just as painful as the first day he heard them.

“I’ve damned you…  Forever,”

Those words of Mitchell Jones still haunted his mind, and blocked out Caleb’s words completely.

 


	6. Fifth Symphony

Gavin’s head audibly slammed against his desk in English class.  Thirty minutes into class, and he had already counted all the ceiling tiles and noted the many Peanuts action figures that decorated the room.  He’d even gone so far as to memorize the school handbook from start to finish.  As ol’ Mr. Tumby ranted about Mary Shelley’s plagiarism of the Jewish golem stories, Gavin and the rest of the class were less than amused and halfway asleep.  Though before he could adequately fall into a coma of boredom, a piece of paper found itself jamming in the side of his stomach.  

Leaning his head up, he spotted Lindsay giving him “the look” as she continued to jab him in the side.  

Taking the paper, Gavin slowly opened it up.

 

_Three things._

_#1  Did you SERIOUSLY perform at the sleaziest nightclub in town (shirtless), and then run away from the cops?_

_#2  You’re seriously giving up singing?!  WHAT THE LITERAL FUCK!?_

_#3  Why won’t you come home?  :(_

 

Gavin sighed.  Fishing out a pen from his nearby messenger bag, he swiftly wrote back a reply in his barely legible handwriting.  He threw the paper back on Lindsay’s desk.

 

_#1  Yes, it was awesome and HyRdos wasn’t THAT sleazy.  I saw three topless girls and five dicks TOPS._

_#2  Tina has a big mouth, and I’m seriously going to have to kick her butt for that one.  But yeah, doesn’t really make sense to keep doing it.  I mean, if I can’t make money by doing it, there’s no point.  I don’t want to be a burden on mom and dad and be one of those “deadbeat kids” that we make fun of all the time._

_#3:  None of your business._

 

Lindsay read the messages.  After a small smile from the first reply, it slowly melted into a painful frown.  Her eyes closed for a moment, lost for several minutes inside a world of her own creation.  She scribbled a long message for a couple of minutes, crumbled it up, and popped the ball on Gavin’s nose.  

Huffing because he thought he was done with her for the period, Gavin uncrumbled the message and began reading it.  

 

_Gavin,_

_Seriously, do you not get that we’re all freaking out?  What is it with you guys acting like the world is over?!_

_Michael’s a zombie, Ray is plastered nearly 10 hours of the day, and you’re giving up the thing that has meant the most to you since you were a little kid?!_

_The three of you wont talk to each other, and you’ve moved out.  YOU THREE!  OF ALL PEOPLE, YOU THREE HAVE BEEN THE CLOSEST SINCE THE DAY YOU MOVED IN TOGETHER!_

_How do you think this makes me, your parents, your other parents, Cameron and all of us feel?  We’ve been inseparable since we were five!  We got through being left and abandoned, we got through middle grades and hormones!  Hell, we even got over re-meeting our biological parents and watching Ryan and the gang move halfway across the country!_

_There isn’t anything that we can’t do as a team Gavin, and I really believe that.  So come on…_

_For old time’s sake…  Can you tell me what’s really going on?  Between you three?  Why everyone’s so crazy?_

 

Gavin took a moment.  He re-read the lines half a dozen times, and could feel Lindsay’s gaze penetrating his skull.  Scratching his beard, he just shook it all off.

The class bell finally rang, and he stuffed the note in his pocket.  Not giving Lindsay a chance to ask, he dashed for the door and made a quick exit.

 

++++++++++

 

Walking inside his house with Lindsay, Austin, Hope and Adam just behind him, Michael was met with Joel immediately.  Doing his usual financial budgeting for the company at the dining room table, he was neck-deep in receipts, bank statements, and hand-written invoices.

“We’re home!” Lindsay exclaimed brightly.  

Joel looked up and smiled.  “Hey everyone!  How was the first day of school?” he asked, also signing the question for Austin as the kids sat around the table.

They all dropped their bags, and Adam was the first to begin moving his hands rapidly.  

“It was so cool!  They let us check out library books now, so I got a book on magic!”he explained excitedly.  

Hope nodded, and did much of the same.  “The librarian wouldn’t let me get the book on molecular biology, so I got a book on the human body.  I’m gonna learn all I can!” she explained.

Joel turned to his son and smiled.  “What book did you get?” he asked.

Digging into his school bag, Austin took out a rather voluminous ASL dictionary.  After skimming through it for several minutes, he gave up looking for a particular sign and tossed it to the side.  He instead pulled out the actual book in question and showed it to his father.

“Ventriloquism for Dummies” was the name of the title.

Michael snorted loudly, nearly falling out of his chair in laughter.  Joel covered his mouth, trying to stifle a growing chuckle in his lungs.  Lindsay just stared at him blankly, as if conflicted to provide a rather disheartening explanation.

Austin snickered, struggling to sign legibly.  “I knew that was funny!  Julia will love it!” he said with a gigantic smile on his face.  

Grabbing the back of Austin’s shirt, Adam pulled the child up from the table.  Hope wasn’t that far behind.  “Come on, we’ll study in my room and Austin can make up some more jokes!” he signed, as all of them began running to the second story of the house.

Joel chuckled and stood up from his work.  “OOH!  I’ve got a good one for him!  About how he shouldn’t let the audience see his hands moving!” he joked, running after the kids quickly.

Lindsay rolled her eyes.  “I don’t know who’s worse, him or Austin!” she joked.

Finally recovered from his bit of laughter, Michael shook his head.  “I don’t know, but he is definitely his father’s son!” he replied.

“Yeah, I guess what they say is true then.  Kids really are just like their parents, aren’t they?  Five bucks says he ends up a blonde clone of dad,” Lindsay asked, sighing loudly.  “As if the world didn’t have enough of him already!” she joked.  Giggling, she stood up and made her way to the kitchen.  “Want anything?  I’m going to cut up some fruit before I go do homework,” she said.  

With a blank expression, she grabbed a sharp knife and began absentmindedly chopping several apples.  

“Michael?  I asked if you wanted anything?  For pete’s sake, the only thing I can cook is raw fruits and veggies, and you’re really going to turn me down?” she asked again, with a twinge of annoyance in her tone.  

After several more minutes of silence, she turned around and glanced to where he had been sitting mere moments ago.  Her boyfriend was, like always in the past few months, a pale slate of his former self.  His eyelids were slumped, shoulders crestfallen, and his face was a million miles away.

“Michael?” Lindsay called for a third time.  Dropping the knife on the counter, she began moving towards him.

Her sudden movement made Michael shoot up immediately.  He turned away from her.  “I’m taking Edgar out for a walk, I don’t need anything,” he replied.  Without a moment to spare, he picked up a long-used leather leash and made his way to the old dog sleeping on the couch.  Hooking it on the loosely-fitting collar, Michael made a short whistle to signal him.  

Without about as much urgency as a snail, Edgar slowly hopped off the couch and limped his way to the front door with Michael.  

“Hey, what did I say!?” Lindsay shouted, holding her hand out towards him.

Her words fell on deaf ears as Michael made his way out of the door, shutting it softly behind him.  

Lowering her hand, Lindsay sighed loudly.

“Trouble in paradise?” Joel muttered, as he made his way downstairs.  He plopped down on the couch.  “Eh, what can you do?” he asked.

Forming a fist, Lindsay punched her other open palm.  “Fuck that!  FUCK THIS, FUCK ALL OF THIS, I AM SO SICK OF THIS!” she screamed.  Without a moment of hesitation, she reached into the pocket of her jeans and pulled out a paper-thin phone.  Slamming the button with Meg, Tina, and Mia’s face simultaneously, a conference video call was made.  It didn’t take long for all three of her friends to pick up.  

“Hey, what’s up?” Meg asked brightly.  Behind her, the outline of the drama department’s backdrops was visible.  Ruby, in full theatre attire as a grecian goddess, was putting on a hell of a performance in the background.

“Is it time to finally invade England and steal all the hot villians?” Tina replied.  Clearly, from the concrete backdrop, soundproofing bubble-wrap, and discarded band equipment, she was calling from her basement.   

Mia’s webcam answered, and her face was buried in a book in her bedroom.  “‘I’m studying English monarchs for AP World History, can we make this quick?” she replied.

Lindsay took a moment to compose her rage and started back to her friends with intent eyes.  “I’m enacting Plan 313, effective immediately,” she explained.

Mia dropped her book, as a look of horror struck her face.  

Tina dropped her guitar that she had been quietly re-stringing.

Meg dropped to the floor, while her phone went flying.

Sighing, Lindsay shook her head.  “Desperate times call for desperate measures,” she explained.

Joel watched his daughter with a curious look on his face.  A look that vacated his face as the land-line began ringing loudly.  Reaching over to cordless phone, he pressed the answer button.

“Hello?” Joel asked.  

“HEY MAN, how you doing?” Ryan asked on the other line.

“Ryan!  How ya doin’?” he answered back immediately.  

There’s a loud sigh on the other line.  “Oh not too bad.  I’ve actually been on vacation the last week visiting with my bio-mom and working remotely.  Any chance you guys would have a place for me to crash for a few weeks?  Maybe a month?” he asked, with a rather lighthearted demeanor.

Taken aback, Joel’s face grew a large grin.  “Of…  Of course!  Austin can crash on the couch, and you can borrow his room.  Holy crap, YES, stay as long as you want!” he exclaimed.

 

+++++

 

Inside a bar on the outskirts of a small town in Texas, Ryan hung up his cell phone.  About as far from his biological mother’s house as one could be, he slammed his head against the bar.  

“One more,” he said, signaling to a rather burly looking bartender.  He was thin, with an overwhelming brown beard covering his face.  Though the wrinkled face might show him being older, he was in the first quarter of his life.   

“Sure?  You bloody-well look like you’ve had enough kid,” the bartender replied.

Ryan nodded.  “Please…  Just one more and then I can go back to the hotel and actually get some goddamn sleep on this fucking road trip from hell,” he mumbled angrily.

Reluctantly, the man pulled out a large bottle of vodka and began mixing up another house special.  

“Where you from my chum?  You runnin’ from something?” he asked bluntly.

Sighing, Ryan turned his head away.  “Nah…  Looking for something,” he responded.

Pouring the orange looking beverage into a clear glass the bartender puts it next to the four other empty glasses.  

“You won’t find it there, chum, I assure you,” he explained, signaling to the glass.  

Hiccuping, Ryan chuckled.  “I won’t not find it either!” he retorted, downing the latest glass as fast as he could.

The bartender huffed angrily and made his way to a different customer.  

Looking down to his phone, the lock screen was a picture that he’d taken years before.  Him and the California gang when they first moved in to their live-in house.  

“What the fuck happened?  I lost EVERYTHING, and I didn’t even realize it…” he mumbled drunkenly.  

The lock screen slowly faded to a picture of Emily and him, only a year earlier on the beachside resort that Burnie owned.  They were showing off engagement rings and smiling like goofballs.  Miles and Arryn were photobombing in the back while Kerry and Samantha flipped off the camera while kissing.  

Ryan flipped the phone over, hiding the picture from view.  Shutting his eyes, Ryan allowed the alcoholic poison to rush through his veins and allowed a beautiful dream to take over his thoughts.

 

+++++++++++++

 

Griffon and Geoff were both laying in bed after a long day of work, resting against the headboard.  Reading the latest issue of “How to Train Your Husband’s Dragon”, Griffon was barely paying attention to Geoff’s loud groaning and whining.

“Hmm…  Jello ring around the junk, really?  I wouldn’t think that would be very appetizing…  I hate cherry,” Griffon mumbled, immediately turning another page.  

Geoff glared at his wife angrily.  “Okay, I’m over here sighing and groaning like a teenage Ray, what the fuck?!” he exclaimed.

“Then talk to me and stop trying to be all passive aggressive,” she retorted.  Griffon shook her head.  “Ryan’s coming home, I would think you’d be happier,” she explained.

“I am!” Geoff announced immediately.  

“I’m sure Ryan could even help the boys out,” Griffon added.

Geoff groaned.  “I KNOW!  But you’re missing the bigger point!” he exclaimed.

Griffon turned to him.  “What’s the bigger point?” she asked.

Slowly, Geoff looked down to his bedspread and gripped it tightly.

“Why’s Ryan coming home, and why isn’t anyone else coming with him?” he asked.

Both parents got very quiet very quickly.

“Think this is about Emily?  We never got a very good explanation about that,” Griffon offered, shutting her magazine.  

Geoff shook his head.  “No…  No, we never did,” he explained.


	7. Sixth Sense

Thunder boomed over the residential HomeHunters neighborhood. Wind howled loudly, pummeling the downpour of rain onto the shingles of the Denecour household.

Brandon shot his eyes open, shivering as the atmosphere lit up with the after-effects of the nearby lightening strike.

Groaning loudly, he tried to force himself back to sleep by slamming his eyes shut. Though the moment he did, the outside storm only seemed to get louder and louder. It came to the point where he decided to cram a pillow over his face.

"Fucking Texas… Dry 90% of the goddamn time, and a tsunami the other 10%. Make up your damn mind already," he thought to himself angrily.

Shifting under the covers as his high school media T-shirt hiked up on his back, he opened up his eyes once more.

2:00 AM read brightly on his digital alarm clock. The red light seemed to haunt him, mock him, and make him regret the fact that it was a school night.

"Motherfucking…" he mumbled, silenced as a gentle knock came to his door.

Brandon raised up slightly. “Who is it?” he asked annoyingly.

Without answering, the door opened up on its own. Standing behind it was Julia, in her long pink dress-like nightgown. In her hands, a huge Miss America doll was being clung to as though it was a mighty guard that could protect her.

Brandon could make out tears on his little sister’s face. Sleep went far away from his mind and he shot up to full attention.

"Princess?! What’s wrong?" Brandon asked immediately.

Wiping away the tears, the child’s usually determined glare came right back.

"The PRINCESS CAN’T SLEEP! I DEMAND HER PRINCE BROTHER DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!" she exclaimed quietly. Without bothering for an invitation, she closed the door behind her and ran straight for Brandon’s bed. She clambered into the covers, immediately becoming snug under the covers and curled into a ball right next to him.

Brandon chuckled. “Did the storm scare you?” he asked innocently.

"NO," Julia shot back.

Though as another clap of thunder rang out, Brandon felt Julia cling tightly to him and yelp.

Rolling his eyes, Brandon laid back down and put his arms around her.

"Do you know what thunder and lighting is?" Brandon asked.

From under the covers, he could make out Julia shaking her head.

Smiling, he patted her on the back. “It’s when two hot air and cold air meet. It makes a big boom because they don’t like each other. They’re funny like that… But they know that people don’t like them when they fight, so they ALWAYS stay out of houses,” he explained, just as Caleb has explained to him m any years earlier.

Slowly, Julia poked her head out of the covers.

"Really?" she asked.

Brandon nodded. “Yep. At least they’re polite!” he offered with a quick smile.

Sighing in relief, he could already felt Julia lighten her hulk-like grip on his body. There was a remarkable amount of silence afterwards. A silence which Julia’s throat clearing seemed to break.

"You’re smart Brandon, like Adam and Hope… So… Can you tell me somethin’?" Julia asked.

"Of course! Anything," Brandon replied, feeling his eyes finally begin to droop again.

She gulped. “Brandon… What happens when we die?” Julia asked.

His heart fell through the basement and all the way through to China. Brandon’s eyes were no longer droopy, and had moistened considerably.

Chuckling nervously, Brandon shook his head. “Who cares? Nobody’s dying anytime soon around here!” he said loudly.

Her hand grabbed his and she grabbed it tightly.

"Please?" Julia begged.

Brandon shut his eyes tightly.

"It’s like…. Taking a really long nap," he started to explain, as his heart began to melt inside his own body. "When we die, it’s kind of like… Your eyes will close one last time, and you start sleeping. Except you don’t wake up after that," he said, as his words trailed off.

Julia looked up to him, gazing him in the eyes. “Do we dream? If we dream, do we have good dreams?” she asked.

He nodded immediately, coughing once and looking away from her. “Y… Yeah. You get to dream about whatever you want! You get to be anything you want to be,” Brandon said.

Once again, a remarkable amount of silence was held between them.

Julia moved up, resting her head right next to Brandon.

"I don’t wanna die yet," she said, matter of factly.

Brandon just smiled through his tears. “You’re not gonna. Your prince promises,” he said, holding up a pinky.

Taking his pinky with her own, Julia shook on it. “Yeah. Princesses don’t die! NEVER EVER. Just like Mulan, and Rapunzel and Elsa, and I’m better than all them!” she said proudly.

He kissed her on the forehead. “You sure are, Princess Julia,” Brandon explained proudly.  Booping her on the nose, she giggled in the process.  ”I’ve got a sense about these things, and I’m never wrong!  Well except that one time, but Chris’ hair grew back after a month,” he said goofily.

Julia laughed loudly.

++++++++++

The second grade classroom of Mr. Hiro was oddly quiet for inside recess. With the storm from the night before still lingering, outside play was impossible.

Several children were playing chess and checkers in the corner, quietly contemplating their moves. Others were in the corner, reading colorful chapter books. Some were building with Legos.

Mr. Hiro, the thirty-something immigrant from Korea with the vision skills of a bat, watched the children in awe.

 _"Please be quiet today! Adam and I want to study!"_ Hope Ramsey had politely requested at the start of recess. Like always, she had a book from the library on some brand of science in her lap.

Adam Ramsey, like his twin sister, had some book on ancient magic in his position. While the pentagram on the front had worried him at first, Mr. Ramsey’s assurance that his son was NOT going to raise the dead, and that the content of the book was 90% history, he allowed the child to continue reading.

Then, as always, little Julia Denecour was in between them. She rested her head on Adam’s shoulder, fast asleep. Unlike the other children in shorts and t-shirts, she was wearing a thick hoodie that he assumed must have belonged to one of her older brothers. Even the slightest air conditioning seemed to chill her to the bone.

Slowly, Mr. Hiro made his way to the children and knelt down to sit with Hope.

"How’s studying going?" Mr. Hiro asked politely, with a colorful optimism.

Hope looked up to him, with a large frown and a furrowed eyebrow. “Mr. Hiro, what’s a re… re… retrovirus and how do I make it go away?” she said, checking her book on how to pronounce the difficult word.

His eyes grew wide.

Pointing to her book, Hope pointed to a diagram of a large cell. “Julia says she got that thingy from her mommy. The book says that thingy is hiv,” she said, mispronouncing HIV as one small word. Her focus never wavered away from Mr. Hiro. “Julia had that before she got her other thingy she has now. Maybe if I made THAT bad thingy go away, she’d get better and the bad thingy she has now would go away too!” she asked.

A loud thump echoed in Mr. Hiro’s chest. Forming a cold pit in his stomach, what was left of his heart crumpled away.

He cleared his throat. “Well… Hope, sweetheart… They don’t really know how to make that bad thingy go away… They’re working on it though!” Mr. Hiro offered politely.

Huffing, Hope went back to her book. “Then I’ll find it! There is a ALWAYS an answer to my homework in books! I just gotta find it first!” she said angrily.

Adam held up his magic book. “Did you know that there were fairies called faes that could heal anything? Wish they were still around!” he said, signaling to a picture in his book. An image of a beautiful fairy queen was covering an entire section of the page. Long locks of golden-blonde hair, stellar pink wings, and a crystalline like clothing. “Tatiana” was written underneath it.

Julia shifted slightly with Adam’s movement, snoring slightly.

"Stop tickling me Austin… Dummyhead…." Julia mumbled in her sleep.

The touching moment was ended as the door to the classroom opened. A woman in a bright white lab coat and long red hair walked in with a vividly colored pill box with pink hearts covering the outside. “H A A R T” was written on the outside of them.

Mr. Hiro turned to the sleeping Julia and gently prodded her.

"I said STOP Austin!" Julia said, pushing Mr. Hiro away from her.

Julia was smiling.

++++++++++

New York City was far too loud for Emily Cross. Cars honking, angry people flipping her off if she walked less than 10 MPH, and just the tremendous volume of people made her completely uncomfortable.

Holding a plastic bag from the local grocer in one hand and the latest volume of “Hunting for a Home” that Kerry had written in the other, she stepped back inside the assisted living facility. Greeting the same happy security guard she met every day with a blown kiss, and patting old miss Daisy with the platinum blonde wig that walked past her, Emily sighed loudly when out of sight.

Standing just outside room 143, “Charles Cross” was written on the plaque just beside the door knob.

"How’s he doing today sweetie?" a thick voice asked.

Turning around, she was met with the large physique of Doctor Andrew. In his middle forties, and ample plumpness all around him, his smile was a contagion in an otherwise dismal place where only the worst of the worst cases came to die.

Emily looked away and to her feet. “Not good… He’s… He’s…” she mumbled.

Dr. Andrew put a hand on her shoulder.

"Huntington’s is a hard disease on everyone. For the person suffering and just as much for those who love them most. I’m just glad he has you," he said proudly.

Shutting her eyes, she fought back tears. “Mom’s gone, and my brother is halfway across the globe without access to a phone or internet. I… I didn’t want him to die alone,” she said sadly.

Dr. Andrew signaled for her to walk alongside him down the hallway, as they often did. Chuckling, he opted to change the dismal subject.

"How is your fiancé? Is he taking the move well? It’s been nearly a month since you moved here with your father," he asked.

Emily smiled slightly. “Ryan is… Ryan is a very understanding man who fully supports me being with my father. He begged to come with me, but… I refused. I… I didn’t want him to see dad like this. I mean, after all… He saw his own father die the same way not a few years ago. Wasting away in prison, a virtual skeleton until the end,” she replied, losing her confidence quickly.

Dr. Andrew cleared his throat again. “So… When are you rescheduling the wedding for? I bet you will be a lovely bride,” he offered optimistically once more.

The two of them stopped just beside the exit to the public gardens. A large window gave them a perfect view of the rainbow-esque floral arrangements. Several of the older residence were sitting on the many benches. Many had oxygen tanks that were assisting them to breathe.

"Not until after the funeral and I’ve had a chance to settle back down… Dad doesn’t have much longer, so… However long that takes…" Emily said.

Slowly, she dropped her bags to the side of her feet. Then she gently touched the glass paneling. “I… I’ll be an orphan, won’t I?” she asked, as if talking to herself.

Dr. Andrew put his hand on her shoulder. “We’re never really orphans… Though your father may pass, he’ll never really be gone. After all, a part of him lives in you. Mr. and Mrs. Cross will always be with you,” he said brightly.

She tried to smile. “I guess so… My grandma always said I had my dad’s eyes and my mom’s hair,” Emily replied.

"THERE WE GO!" Dr. Andrew exclaimed happily. He slapped her back as hard as he could, nearly knocking her down from the force.

Giggling, Emily retrieved her bags, and turned away from her friend. “I’m going to go check in on daddy,” she said, waving goodbye.

She left Dr. Andrew to the rest of his rounds and made the short walk back to her father’s room. With a deep breath, she opened the door.

Mr. Cross’ room was not like any medical room one would expect. Plush carpeting, comfortable furniture, and her pull-out futon she used for the few hours she managed to sleep a night. A beautiful bouquet of flowers beside her father’s bed, and the classical music her father loved most playing on the speakerphones.

She then turned to her father.

"Hi daddy, I’m back," Emily said softly.

Mr. Cross didn’t respond. Shaking violently, and kept in place with mild plush restraints to his hands, the man’s body hadn’t stopped the violent twitching in the month since she’d come to stay. Drool was running down his face, and incoherent babbling left his lips constantly. His silken red nightclothes were wrinkled and unkempt.

Not focusing on any of the horror before her, she instead kept her gaze at the one remaining aspect her father had control over. His eyes reflected the true horror of the disease. Mr. Cross was no longer there. Only the recesses of her memory could she still remember what he had been like. She held on as tightly as she could to that thought. The farewell she’d made after graduating college and finally moving out to live with Ryan. That goodbye was the last time she’d ever seen her father well.

Emily sat next to her father, in a soft leather chair. Reaching into her grocery bag, she pulled out an apple and laid it on her lap. She ignored it for the moment, and quickly went to her book she’d purchased at the corner market.

"Daddy, I got another one of my friend Kerry’s books! This one is my favorite, because it tells the story of when we all moved to California and how we got settled. There’s a really funny part that I think you’re going to like hearing," Emily said, focusing intently on the book.

Mr. Cross began trashing violently, nearly breaking his restrains in the process.

Turning to page one, she took a deep breath.

"Not much can be said about our world in California. The beaches were hot, but my girlfriend was hotter," Emily said, mimicking Kerry’s voice perfectly.


	8. Seventh Heaven

The executive office of Home Hunters hadn’t changed. Geoff, Jack, Caiti, Joel and Kara all still worked in the same offices they’d had their whole lives. Meanwhile, the administrative office had moved to the new complex where they had started their classes and offered counseling.

So in the old office he’d worked at for what seemed like a lifetime, Geoff was busily typing away on his laptop, ignoring the growing plague of dark thoughts ripping through the back of his head.

Ray wasn’t talking to him.

Gavin wasn’t talking to anyone.

Michael was like a zombie.

Everything felt WRONG. Like their family was broken, and nothing seemed to be working. There was no tape big enough to fix it.

Which found the man typing away at a letter he’d been working on for the past several months. A letter to the company, his family, and his children. He was stuck at the very beginning. While most of the body had been completed, the introduction and conclusion was far from done. The cursor dangled at the start.

_To my friends, my family, my children, my wife, and my coworkers:_

_I’m happy to finally be writing this letter. It’s been on my mind for many years now, ever since Caleb suggested we begin free classes for our new kids going through our program. The feeling grew stronger as I watched my daughter Meg begin mentoring kids through the painful process of finding their new family. At the end, the final “nail in my coffin” was seeing my son Michael work with another one of my “nephews” Austin, and give him the strength to stand on his own, just as he’d learned from us. I believe that my time_

The letter had more after that, but the introduction was where he found himself languishing over.

“How… How do I say this?” Geoff asked himself.

A question that would have to wait as Barbara broke through his office door.

“GEOFF, WHO HAS BLOND HAIR, TWO THUMBS AND HAS GREAT NEWS?!” Barbara asked eagerly.

“Hopefully my wife, considering it’s Friday night?” Geoff responded, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

Barbara chucked one of Geoff’s stuffed toys displayed for the kids at him, and shot him an angry glare. “BE SERIOUS! So, you remember how we recently got audited and had all the agencies up our ass? Then we just figured that some idiot wanted to try and sue us?” she asked.

“Don’t remind me,” Geoff grumbled.

Taking a seat just in front of Geoff, Barbara was smirking happily. “Well, you also remember that Adam Ellis, our guy in Congress that our Governor introduced us to?” she asked.

Geoff nodded. “Yeah! Nice guy, he keeps trying to get us an audience with the National Human Services organization, right?” he asked.

“Well, almost right,” Barbara said, winking at him. “He’s actually a nice guy who got us an audience with the National Human Services organization AND the joint session of congress,” she answered.

A pin could have shattered the silence between the two of them. Geoff was, for the first time in his life, completely speechless.

Geoff’s face dropped. “What!?” he asked h hastily, as if to confirm the statement. Quickly rubbing his eyes, he then pinched himself to make sure he wasn’t dreaming.

Barbara smirked and put her face within inches of Geoff’s. “Congress wants YOU to speak at their summit. Congress wants YOU to propose a budget and recommendation to act as a replacement for the current foster system. Geoff… They want Home Hunters to be THE state standard all around the nation! They want OUR law to be a national law, where the rights of children come before the rights of the parents! Where kids can decide WHERE they want to live, instead of some stupid judge or outdated law! They want US to be the new DHS! They want US to be in charge!” she said, clapping and squealing loudly. Barbara was literally BOUNCING. “WE WON! WE WON! WE WON! WE’RE KINGS AND QUEENS OF THE CASTLE, MOTHERFUCKERS! THOSE ASSHOLES IN DHS WHO HATE OUR CHANGE AND BUDGET IDEAS CAN SUCK OUR MASSIVE COCKS AND THEN TAKE A WOO-HOO UP THEIR RESPECTIVE ASSES!” she shouted, nearly breaking Geoff’s chair in the process.

Geoff stood up from his desk, and calmly walked to a portrait of his entire family. He slid it to the side, quickly revealing a wall safe, complete with pin-pad and code. He typed into it eagerly.

“What are you doing?” Barbara asked, standing up and reeling at the less than thrilled expression on his face.

With the code inserted, Geoff reached into the now-opened safe. He pulled out a handful of documents, all bound together in a glass case. Barbara recognized those as the “fail safe” documents in case either Geoff or Jack died, and the organization needed to know where to move the organization to. He threw those to the side, as though they were garbage.

“I was… Sixteen. I was sixteen when Jack and the rest of us decided to make Home Hunters. It wasn’t a “finished” idea by any means. Though he always dreamed of the day when WE were in charge,” Geoff said calmly. He pulled out a small firearm from the safe a well, putting it carefully to the side. Once more reaching into the safe, Geoff pulled out what appeared to be an old photograph.

Slowly, Geoff returned to his desk, placing the photo in the middle of the table, sliding it across for Barbara to see.

Glancing at it, Barbara could make out several familiar faces. Geoff, glad in black leather, leaning against a tree. Griffon, laying her head on his chest, while wearing a sky blue sundress. Jack, arm-in-arm with Jamie, and Kerry’s mother putting rabbit ears right behind them. All of them looked incredibly young, basically the same age as Michael and Gavin were.

He tapped the photograph repeatedly. “Call them. Call ALL of them. Our dream took 30 years, but it HAPPENED. Call EVERYONE. I don’t care if it’s the night janitor that worked for a week. CALL EVERYONE and invite them to our admin office. I’m throwing a party, right now. This is coming out of my pocket, but I want the world to know this. That six kids from broken homes, and countless others have made this dream a reality. I want everyone to be credited!” he demanded.

Barbara pulled out her cellular phone. “I’m already on it! You call the kids, I’ll get the people from the office and call all of our parents to let them know the good news,” she remarked.

Geoff grabbed his wallet and keys from the desk and jogged out of the office. “I’VE GOT TO GO TELL GRIFFY AND JACK! BARB, IF YOU SPOIL AND TELL THEM BEFOR ME, YOU’RE FIRED!” he proclaimed angrily.

He slammed the door as he began laughing loudly all the way through the offices, spreading the good news to the rest of the board.

With a dreamy contentment Barbara looked down at the man’s laptop as she reclined in his office chair. Just before she dialed the first on her contact list, she noted that a word document was up, and she read the first few lines before her face gaped in horror.

 

_While being one of the founders of Home Hunters was a life changing experience, I believe my time with the company has come and gone._

_There’s a new generation of people who have been in our organization who are taking command. Mr. Denecour and Mr. Cweirz-Denecour are two such men, who continue to show excellence not only in our company, but also as we expand our company goals to children with special medial and psychological needs._

Barbara scrolled down to the end, dropping her phone out of horror.

_With all of this said, it is at this time that I wish to announced my resignation as one of the board of directors, and return as a regular employee of Home Hunters as a parent. My wife and I have agreed that as our children transition into adulthood, we want to give other children the same love as they received. We want to continue making our family larger and larger, while pushing some of our older kids to make us grandparents already. (Sorry, Griffon and Joel made me say that. Michael, if you’re reading this, RUN.)_

_I nominate Mrs. Barbara Narvaez to serve as my replacement to head of the Board that directs this company in how it will move forward in the future. Her motherly love and dedication to children of all creeds is something I respect and admire. While there are many who I believe would make a remarkable replacement, in the end, she is the one who won the mental coin toss in my head._

_I think that she will_

The lines cut off there, clearly where she’d come and interrupted him. Barbara dropped her jaw, and quickly covered her mouth.

“Oh… Oh my God… Oh… Oh Jesus…” Barbara thought to herself.

+

The road trip was finally over. What seemed like a week’s worth of driving, drinking, and staying in sleazy motels, Ryan was finally home. He parked his motorcycle, a large gold-colored Honda “death machine crotch rocket” (as Griffon called it), on the outskirts of the garage. Ryan noted that there weren’t any cars in the driveway, and most of the house looked empty. As he pulled off his helmet and grabbed his backpack from the back storage, he kicked the stand out to lean it safely.

“Good Lord… Are they really even here? Or did they move without telling me?” he asked himself.

Slinging his backpack over his shoulder, Ryan walked up the driveway and made a b-line for the front door. He knocked loudly.

There was no response. Instead, he kept bobbing up and down, knocking again to make sure they heard him. After five minutes of silence, he finally gave up and moved to one of their shrubs. Hidden inside, on a large branch, he grabbed a small golden key.

After unlocking the door, Ryan smiled brightly. The thought of FINALLY seeing his family again was like a dream come true after several months of a horrifying nightmare.

“I’m home!” Ryan exclaimed happily. He threw his bags down next to the door’s entryway, and looked around the area closely.

Lights were off, there was no coffee bubbling, no sound of kids arguing upstairs. Austin wasn’t play-fighting with Michael, Joel wasn’t in the kitchen cooking, and Lindsay wasn’t helping Hope study theoretical physics.

He walked into a pitch-black house, with no warm laughter welcoming him home.

Ryan’s face fell, and he checked his phone hastily. Maybe he’d missed a text telling him to the family somewhere for dinner. It wasn’t uncommon for the chefs of the family to want a night off. After all, Michael, Joel and Geoff cooked virtually every night. It DID get old really quickly. So did the “get in the kitchen” jokes.

“That’s GOT to be it!” Ryan told himself eagerly.

Though as he checked his phone, the screen was blank. There was no new messages, no notifications, not even an e-mail from his spam.

Hastily, Ryan dialed Geoff’s number.

“Oh God… Is Julia okay? Did something happen with Austin?” Ryan asked himself as he brought the cell phone to his ear. There were half a dozen things that could have gone wrong. Hell, he wondered if Gavin had gone back to that sex bar and everyone was bailing him out of jail. It rang a few times before the other end FINALLY picked up.

“Rye! How are you doing?!” Adam asked on the other end. The sounds of happy celebration of the other end made hearing very difficult. He swore he heard Joel’s confetti cannon in the background.

Ryan tilted his head curiously. “Adam? Where’s dad? Is everything okay? I told you guys I’d be home today, right?” he asked immediately.

His youngest brother giggled. “We’re here at Home Hunters HQ celebrating! Daddy says the government wants to use their stuff! Everyone’s happy and celebrating at Dad’s office, we’ve got the News people here, and everything is awesome! I guess we forgot about you, sorry! But hurry up and get over here, I’ve missed you! I wanna play Mario kart with you, Austin keeps beating me!” he ordered.

Ryan lost the grip on his phone, nearly dropping it.

“You guys…. Forgot me?” Ryan asked.

“Dad is still calling people, he just probably hasn’t-”

Ryan hung up the phone. His hand fell to the side, and the man’s phone crashed to the ground.

“They forgot me. They actually… Forgot me…” Ryan mumbled.

His body trembled for a moment, as if enraged.

“Fuck this. Fuck everyone, fuck the world, and FUCK EVERYTHING! IF THE WORLD WANTS ME, I’LL BE AT THE GODDAMN BAR!” Ryan shouted. He reached down, grabbing up his cell phone. Ryan kicked open the door and slammed it behind him.

+

Gavin wasn’t really “feeling” the celebration party. Sure, it was awesome that people would get to have a great life like he did, and that his dads were letting their dreams come true. The pizza was awesome, and he wasn’t sure how Geoff got 30 Super-Sized pizzas on a Sunday night from a store that hadn’t existed in twenty years, but he’d managed.

Sighing loudly, Gavin was alone in the corner. He was avoiding everyone. He didn’t want to talk to Ray about his drinking, didn’t want to get an earful from Michael about him quitting music, and CERTAINLY didn’t want to talk to any of the girls. Mia, Meg and Lindsay were insane and wouldn’t LEAVE HIM ALONE.

Instead, he’d grabbed a super-sized pizza, roughly the size of a tire, and had gone through about 2/3rds of it when Jack finally spotted him.

“Gavin, you have a minute?” he asked.

Nodding, the lanky lad jumped up. “What’s up dad?” he asked quietly.

Jack tried to smile. “I uh… I got a call this morning from Meg. She told me that you’re thinking about giving up music?” he asked.

Gavin nodded. “Yeah. I figured it was best. I mean, it’s not like I’ve got the money to really make a career out of it. I mean… Well, nobody REALLY thought I’d be a professional musician, right?” he laughed nervously.

“Is this about Club Hydros? Gavin, I’m disappointed you lied to me, and that’s why you’re still grounded from everything, but I’m not angry enough to make you quit music,” Jack said cautiously.

Shaking his head, Gavin turned away. “It’s not Hydros. It’s just.. It’s nothing. I need to be alone right now,” he mumbled. He walked away.

“GAVIN! Wait!” Jack begged, falling on deaf ears.

Not bothering to answer his father, Gavin made his way past the crowds of celebrating employees. He pushed past a particularly wasted Caleb, who was making out with a potted plant and calling it Jordan 2.

Huffing, Gavin went back to stare at his phone. He’d texted Ryan earlier that morning, after hearing he would FINALLY make it home. Gavin needed advice from his oldest brother. The smart one, the reliable one, the one who WASN’T Ray or Michael. Someone who wasn’t Jack or Geoff. Someone who’d… Listen. Though as he flipped to Ryan’s message string, he watched a fresh message come through.

“kan u puck me pupp”

Gavin dialed Ryan’s number immediately. It rang once before picking up.

“HEEEEEYYYY ITS VAVVVYYY… Hey buuuuuuuuuuuuuuddyyyy.. This… isiisis… ASSMUNCH took my keys! I… I gottasdfdf I gotaldll. OH WOW… Do my legs…. Know they’re legs Gavin? Those poor legs! What if they don’t?” Ryan said, slurring as though he were some out of his mind drunk frat kid. He was sobbing over his legs, baby talking them gently.

“Ryan? Are you drunk?” Gavin asked seriously.

The sound of shifting phones came over the other line.

“Listen, you’re this guy’s brother, right? Come get this wino, he’s drunk off his ass. I’m not letting him drive home AT ALL, and I’m about to call the cops,” a thuggish bartender said on the other end.

“I WANT…. I WANT SOME MORE BOOOOOOZE!” Ryan exclaimed slamming his fist against the bar.

Gavin turned around and stole the company car keys out of Caleb’s pants pocket, while he sobbed into the potted plant about “never leaving him”. “I’ll be there in fifteen minutes, where are you at?” he asked immediately.


	9. Eight Ball Corner Pocket

Ryan wasn’t drunk.

Ryan was WASTED.

Gavin had never seen anyone in their family get as bad as Ryan was. Sure, Geoff piled a bunch of beers on at special occasions, but he NEVER got to Ryan’s level.  Even on one of Michael’s benders, he always managed to maintain enough clarity to know when he’d had enough.

Ryan was three states over from either of them.

His brother was passed the point of making out with the potted plants and gone straight to the ridiculous drunk state that he thought only existed in bad TV sitcoms.

He couldn’t walk by himself, with Gavin having to literally escort him out of the bar.

He was slurring his words, unable to form a coherent thought.

Gavin was just about 100% sure his brother had also pissed his pants, because he smelt like cat pee, and there was a dark spot around his crotch.

Then, naturally, there was the fact that people APPLAUDED at Gavin led Ryan out of the bar.

It took all the lad’s strength not to cry at the sad sight, literally having to throw Ryan in the backseat of the car and strap him in.

“GAVY.. GAVY! I… I think I done did a ding diddly!” Ryan said, laughing as though it were the funniest joke in the world.

Gavin just nodded, cringing at the nickname he hated. “Y.. Yeah.. You sure did!” he said, slamming the door shut and climbing into the front seat. He started the car, but hesitated as he moved it into drive.

“Fuck,” Gavin mumbled to himself, slamming his head on the steering wheel.

There was no way he could bring Ryan to the party like that. Hell, there was no way he was EVER going to let Adam, Hope or ANYONE see Ryan like that, so he couldn’t even bring him home. Cameron’s place was out, because Mr. Reed had stayed behind to watch a sick Ruby who had the stomach flu.

He considered the Narvaez home, but threw it away considering that Ray was still there and still pissed at Gavin and Michael.

There was nowhere to go.

“GAAAAAVYYYYY… Gavvvyyyerwriuiiii… I… I… I don’t feell…. Gouuuuud….” Ryan mumbled, as he then vomited all over the backseat floor.

“Oh my god,” Gavin choked out, finally breaking down into tears. He turned around to his older brother. “YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO BE THE ONE TO FIX MY PROBLEMS! YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO COME HERE AND FIX EVERYTHING YOU ASSHOLE! WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU?! YOU’RE THE ONE WHO HOLDS US TOGETHER, AND NOW YOU’RE ACTING LIKE SOME… SOME… SHITLORD!” he screamed.  Returning to the driving position, he finally hit the gas pedal.  

There was THAT place, of course.

As the began to drive, Ryan’s face fell down in shame.  He hiccuped loudly.

 

+

Their childhood home, the tiny one floor place they all had crammed in nearly a decade before was currently being remodeled.  A new HomeHunter family would be taking over the place in about three months since Carter and Cameron had finally found a place all their own.  As one of the people who’d been helping install the new washing machine, Gavin had a key and knew that the water would still be turned on.

He drug Ryan inside the house, threw him into the shower while washing the piss-stained clothes.  He forced down water into his brother’s body so he didn’t dehydrate, and quickly tried to dry off the damp man’s body.  

He threw Ryan on the bed that had been his all those years ago, in a fresh outfit straight out of the dryer and pee-free.

Ryan was crying as Gavin tried to tuck him into bed and make him as comfortable as possible.  “You guys hate me, don’t you.  S…  S..  S’why you guys forgot me!” he stammered out, clutching his head in pain.  

Gavin’s face went pale.

“Ev’r…  Ev’ron’es forgot me.  Emily left me…  Then the gang back home don’t want anythign to do wi’h meh.  I..  ca’m home to see mah fam.  A…  A…  An the house was dark..  N..  Nobo’y was there…” Ryan slurred, wiping the tears from his face as he pulled his old comforter over his face.  

There was a brief moment of silence.  Gavin threaded his hands through Ryan’s wet hair.  

“Rye, that’s not true.  None of it is,” he said with a warm smile.  All of the exasperation vanished in an instant, and he threw his arms around Ryan’s neck.  

“IS TOO!…  It’s…  It’s like when I was little…  Nobody wanted me..  I’m…  I’m not a kid anymore, so nobody’s gotta fake it.  I’m… I’m just a bother,” Ryan stammered out, as his coherence began to slowly return.

Gavin smiled.  “Get some sleep Rye.  I’ll call mom and our dads and say we’re staying at a hotel, so they don’t worry.  Then, tomorrow morning, I’ll explain why you’re a bigger idiot than Joel.  Then we’ll go home and you can see how much you’re loved,” he said warmly.

As he started to stand up, Ryan drug him back down to the bed, sniffing.

“Stay?” he asked sadly.

Gavin nodded.  “Yeah.  Just let me go get the old sleeping bag.  Be back in a sec,” he exclaimed.

After a few brief moments of raiding the hallway closet, Gavin retrieved the old RWBY sleeping bag that Monty had sent him when he was a little kid.  He returned to the bedroom, where Ryan was already snoring loudly.

Gavin stayed just outside the door.  Visions of his childhood played out over the room.

A twelve year old Ryan, sitting on the bed and holding out the RWBY book, reading bedtime stories to the five-year old selves of him, Ray and Michael.  

The loud giggling as Ryan told the part of the story that had Yang grabbing Junior’s crotch was real, almost like he was THERE.

Ray’s little self and his little self were clutching their teddy bears tightly.  Michael was holding his stuffed T-rex.  The three of them held each other’s hands frightfully as Ryan told the part where Blake ran away because the girls found out she was a faunus.

More than just memories started to flood back.

Visions of Lindsay, Courtney and Dan moving next door, and laughter was roaring outside the back window to Ryan’s room.  

Sounds of Joel, Dan and Geoff screaming over the football game.

The soft sounds of Jack telling stories to him and Ray.

Memories of their trips to Disneyland, and the way everything falling into place when Griffon’s warm hands finally came to complete their lives.

An ever so brief tear rolled down Gavin’s face.

He laughed.

“We’ve…  We’ve been so stupid, haven’t we?” Gavin spoke quietly to himself.

+

Outside the homehunters abode, the scruffy full-bearded bartender that Ryan had seen on his trip down to

Austin was smiling quietly.

“Damn right you bloody well have,” he mumbled, just before walking away from the home, and back on the long sidewalk to the thirty or more HomeHunters homes that had been built up over the years.  All now housing more than 45 foster kids and 55 certified HomeHunter parents.

+

The HomeHunters mansion was bright with laughter and clinking glasses of varying contents.  Most of the adults were drinking wine or some form of alcohol, with the exception of Ryan who was drinking 7-Up.

Leftovers from the party the night before was being served up by Joel and Kara, while Gavin played a soft melody on his piano off in the corner.  Meg was hanging onto her boyfriend tightly, kissing him on the cheek when he leaned over to reach keys at her side.  

Austin, Hope and Adam were clinging onto Ryan’s legs, telling him he was “never allowed to go away ever again”.

Julia was sleeping in Brandon’s arms, while Chris was fishing out her little red box of medicine.  Caleb and Jordan were watching over their children carefully and gently rubbed Julia’s sweating forehead.

Fresh from her trip from New York, and one successful comic book contract later, Courtney was laughing and sharing all of her eager stories with Dan and Lindsay.  The Adventures of XRay and Vav would be published in comic book stores all over the country, and there was even talk about making a movie deal.  

Dan was smiling through his sister’s amazing news, while his fist was crumbling around a brochure in his pocket.

Griffon was attached to Geoff, and the two kept sneaking little kisses with each other.

“Have you told him yet?  Burnie’s offer, I mean?” Griffon asked quietly.

Geoff shook his head.  “Nah, I’ll wait till Burnie gets here in a couple of weeks before I do that,” he replied.

The party and gathering was a delightful event, made even more brighter as the Narvaez family made their way through the front door.

“We’re here!” Madeline exclaimed happily.  In her arms was a six tier cake decorated in RWBY Season 5 and Achievement Hunter logos.  “Welcome Back Ryan” was written in flawless handwriting.  “Sorry we’re late, I only had a couple of hours to whip this up, I’m so sorry it’s not all that great,” Madeline exclaimed.

Ray and Luis rolled their eyes symmetrically.

While Madeline moved to set up the cake, Ryan made a b-line for Ray and grabbed him by the shoulder.

“Hey Rye, how’s it going?” Ray asked dully as he was being pulled across the house.  Adam, Austin, and Hope released Ryan to go after Maddie’s cake.

Ryan smiled, winking towards Gavin, who had Michael by the arms and making his way To where Ryan was.

"So I heard from big nose that you three are fighting.  Apparently you’ve got a drinking problem, Michael has a zombie problem, and Gavin wants to quit music?" He asked.

Ray groaned.  ”Ryan, just don’t.  Let’s go already,” he demanded.

Sighing, Ryan shook his head.  ”Listen, I owe Gavin a MASSIVE favor, and this is what he wants.  So get your ass upstairs to the attic before I pop you one!” He shouted.

While the four brothers made their way to Ray’s room, Ryan’s phone buzzed on top of his still unpacked luggage.

 

_**Rye, I called Burnie and he said you’re in Austin!  Stay there, PLEASE!  I’m booking a flight tonight and I’ll be there tomorrow!  I’ve got news!  BIG NEWS.  :_)  - Em** _

 

+

The coroner slowly put the white sheet over Emily’s father.  Just like that, her father had passed in the night.  He quit breathing as his kings became completely paralyzed.  As she had promised him, Emily held his hand as he passed on to the other side.

Her father’s Doctor was there by her side in an instant.  

"How are you doing?" He asked politely.

Emily wiped away a fresh set of tears.  ”I hate to say this, but it was a blessing.  He was suffering every day, and I knew he’d been ready for some time.  Daddy’s in a better place now, with mom,” she said, sniffing.

Doctor Andrew patted her on the back.  ”Ms. Cross, do you need anything?  Would you like me to call your fiancé?” He asked.

Emily shook her head.  ”No, I’d..  I’d like to be alone for a little while.  I’ll call Ryan in a little bit.  Thank you, though,” she said.  

Doctor nodded.  ”Very well.  Let me at least drive you back to your-“

As the man spoke, Emily fell onto the couch she had been sleeping on.  She held her stomach tightly. “Ow..  Ow, damn sushi…” She mumbled to herself.

Doctor Andrew stared at her cautiously.  “How long have you been feeling like this?” he said, as he gently prodded her stomach.  Unsatisfied by her response, he moved a tad bit lower.

“I dunno… I’ve just been feeling icky lately, I throw up all the time from stress about Daddy. Probably all the junk I’ve been eating!” Emily said, still clutching her stomach in pain.

“Just a moment please,” Dr. Andrew said, moving to her father’s restroom.  He came back a few moments later with a cool washcloth that he laid on her head.  “Any other symptoms?  Even if it seems like it’s nothing, please tell me,” he asked cautiously.

Emily shut her eyes and laid back on the couch, where Dr. Andrew propped her feet up.  “I’m unusually hungry?  Though that’s not surprising.  I’m a stress eater, and losing Daddy is going to have me packing on the pounds soon!” she joked.  

Dr. Andrew bit his bottom lip.  “Have you and your boyfriend been sexually active?  Just uh..  Just ruling a few things out,” he asked.

Emily nodded.  “Just a little. I mean, I’ve been busy getting my degree, and he’s been busy with his career, so… I guess it was the night before I came out here, a little over a month ago?  Though we really didn’t even have sex then, it was more like hyperactive cuddling,” she replied.

“I see…” Dr. Andrew said, musing momentarily. “Are your breasts sore?” he asked, glancing up at her.

“EXCUSE ME?!” Emily said, shooting up to a sitting position.

Dr. Andrew brought his hands up.  “Sorry, I uh… I wanted to do this slowly, but I’ll be blunt.  Emily, when was your last period?”

Emily’s face went white.  There were only a few reasons why a doctor would ask that question. “I… I don’t know.. I… I’ve been so worried about dad, that I…” she mumbled.  Quickly, she slapped herself across the face.  “Oh..  Oh god…  I’m…  I’m REALLY late,” she said, in a moment of sheer horror.

The Doctor cleared his throat, blushing.  Though there was a gentle smile on his face.

“Emily… We’re going to need to do an ultrasound in my office. Because I’m pretty much convinced that you’re probably 5-6 weeks pregnant.  

Emily fell backwards, fainting at the news and plopping her head against the pillow.

+

The flat that the Achievement Hunter office had moved into years prior was abuzz with movement.  

Arryn was off in the corner, sobbing over her doctoral thesis and cursing every living being in existence, particularly her useless advisor who she was plotting to murder in her spare time.

Kerry and Samantha were inseparable as usual, cuddled up and writing the latest chapter of Kerry’s next Romance novel.  Apparently, the man was no longer trusted to write stories without his girlfriend’s approval on the angst-level.

The, naturally, there was Miles.  The wedding planner was just as crazy as usual, screeching into his phone at the florist who hadn’t finished the bouquet design for him to approve yet.

While everyone was lost in their little world, the door opened up and revealed Monty and Burnie letting themselves in.  Monty, as he’d aged, had achieved a premature grey hair.  Instead of dying it further, he embraced his older age.  With the exception of a single streak of pink on his bangs.

“Hey guys, how’s it going?  Enjoying your Saturday?” Monty asked with a bright smile.

None of the twenty-somethings answered back.  

“Told you,” Burnie mumbled under his breath.

Miles looked up from his cell phone, where images of a flawless wedding cake kept sliding by, and the man teared up at the sight. “Flawless…  So flawless,” he mumbled to himself.  A calendar notification came up on his glass-thin screen.  “Best Man Speech Due” was bolded.  Miles stood up immediately.  “HEY RYAN! Is your Best Man speech done yet? I want to make sure you don’t fuck it up or tell the story when I shit myself at Six Flags!” he yelled loudly.

There was no response from Ryan’s empty room.  A room that had been empty for the better part of a week and a half.

“RYAN!?” Miles yelled again.

Arryn, Kerry and Samantha all glanced up at MIles.

“Did Ryan go out for lunch or something?” Miles asked.

Kerry shook his head.  “Uh, you know what?  I…  I don’t even remember seeing him this morning at breakfast.  Did he go visit Emily and not tell us?” he asked.

Arryn took her turn at shaking her head.  “No, she specifically said for none of us to come with her.  She said she didn’t want us seeing her dad like he was,” she answered.  

Monty’s jaw dropped to the floor.

Burnie rubbed his eyes and cleared his throat.  All eyes were on him as all of them jumped a mile in the air. “Guys, Ryan has been gone for a week, and you just NOW noticed this?

Kerry and Miles exchanged horrifying glances.

Samantha fell over out of the couch, and Arryn went back to her laptop as her advisor FINALLY responded to her instant messaging.

“Oh my god we are bad friends, aren’t we?” Miles asked.

Kerry nodded. “Uh, yeah… We really are,” he shot back.

“YES, YES YOU ARE!” Burnie screamed.  He eventually rolled his eyes and threw a packet of information and several airline tickets onto the table beside Miles.  “We’re flying out to Austin next week.  You’re all coming, it’s a company retreat and we’re having our administrative meeting there.  No ifs ands or buts.  Boss’s orders, you’re coming.  Well, at least Miles, Kerry and Samantha are.  I’m not about to force Arryn to do anything right now.  Hate to direct and leave, but I’ve got to deliver more tickets to the rest of the company,” he explained, picking Monty’s jaw up off the floor and dragging the man back out the door.

“KERRY, CALL RYAN, NOW!  Set up a skype meeting!” Miles ordered, throwing his phone away and running off to find his laptop for a conference call.  As he did, he plopped next to Arryn.

“Arryn, do you want to go with us next we-”

The doctoral candidate hissed loudly at her fiance, bearing what LOOKED like a pair of angry fangs.  He swore he spotted blood.

Miles flinched.

“OKAY SWEETIE, I’M SORRY, DON’T BITE ME AGAIN, I’M SORRY!  I’LL TALK TO YOU WHEN YOU’VE FINISHED YOUR MEETING!” he proclaimed anxiously, hiding behind Kerry like a whimpering child.


	10. For the Life We Earned ; Chapter X : Nine Times out of Ten

After being thrown into the attic, the original HomeHunters found themselves standing before one very agitated Ryan Ramsey. Even Gavin, who had been a part of the original plan to get everyone together, found himself slightly frightened by Ryan’s intimidating presence.

Ray was sulking in the corner, with folded arms and his nose stuck up high in the air. He clearly was not in any mood for this discussion.

Michael had decided to let the events unfold, and was relaxing on Ray’s old bed. Though he didn’t have his usually irritated face, and seemed to be almost in a coma like state of “zen”.

Taking the initiative, Ryan locked the door behind him.

“Okay guys, I have been hearing a lot of crap going on about you three.  Gavin got in trouble playing at a night club, Ray’s moved out of the house, and Michael’s chiller than the other side of the pillow.  Something is VERY wrong, and I want to know the full story, and I want you know it now. Oh, and if you don’t tell me, I’ve got a blackmail on all three of you the last several lifetimes, “he said intimidatingly.

Scoffing, Ray just rolled his eyes. “It’s none of your business Ryan, we’ll deal with this ourselves. Besides, it’s nothing that big, “he replied immediately.

Michael nodded. “He’s right, you know. These two assholes are too stubborn to fucking talk about anything anyway. Don’t you think I’ve tried?” he retorted.

Reluctantly, Gavin sighed. “Guys, come on. We can talk this out, I know we can!   We’ve been brothers ever since we were little kids, and there’s never been anything but we haven’t been able to get through as a team. I know we’ve never really fought like this before, but I still want to try and get through this! I want everyone home, and I want this to be a family again. So just, please tell Ryan what happened. I know I promised I wouldn’t say a word, but if you guys told, then we be able to talk about it. Please?” he begged.

“I am not going to talk about it! There is nothing to talk about!” Ray exploded. He unfolded his arms and marched straight up to Ryan. “This is none of your goddamn business, you haven’t even been a part of this family since you left all those years ago.  How often do we even see you anymore?  Three times a year, tops?! So why do you even fucking care now?“ he asked spitefully.

In a flash, Ryan’s hand wrapped around Ray’s neck. he escorted the lad gently all the way back to his old bed and threw him beside Michael. His eyes were burning.

“Listen and listen really good. I know I haven’t been here, and trust me it kills me every day I’m not here with you guys. But the fact the matter is that I will always be your brother. I don’t care how old you get, I don’t care when you are 40 years old, I will still be here goddamn big brother and you will listen to me then just as you’re going to listen to me now! You are 18 years old, you are all legally adults now.  You acted more mature when you were 13 and 6 than you are right now!  I know your hormonal, and all of you were going through some shit right now. So that’s why I’m here. I’m here to help you sort all this out, and make us a family again Goddamnit! Tell me what’s going on, and maybe I can help you. Because believe it or not, my life has not been very peachy. None of our lives have. But we’ve all gotten through it so far, and I’m not gonna let you guys just fuck it all up in one fight!” Ryan exploded, in a controlled and manageable rage.

Michael glanced away.

Gavin planted his head down between his knees.

Ray, however, shot right back off the bed and got himself in Ryan’s space immediately.

“You want to know what’s fucking me up right now? “He asked angrily.

Ryan nodded solemnly.

Ray forced his hand into a ball at fist. “I work my ass off every day trying to make your stupid Internet show funny. I try every day to make content people like to watch. I try every day, try so hard to make those people like me. Do you know when I get in return for all of that work? “He inquired. Ray’s entire body was shaking massive rage. “Nothing! I get absolutely nothing! All I get our complaints, rude comments, and people ask me if I would just kill myself already. That’s all I get out of it. I try my hardest every day to be funny to put on a good show for all of my fans, but there is a point now where the “old”Ray isn’t funny anymore. Do you have any idea how much I have to drink to get through one recording, so I can be the old funny Ray the people liked when I was 13? Three bottles of beer, at the very least. Sometimes, to be REALY good, I have to down even more! I had to go to some of the harder stuff to even get a buzz now, which means I had to break into to my dads liquor cabinet so I can get some hard shit. Even then, even when I’m the funny old self that used to be when I was 13, people still hate me. People still don’t want to hear my voice. People ridicule me each and every day of my goddamn life, and ask me to DIE. Nobody wants me, Ryan. I want to quit, but I can’t. It’s all I know. It’s all I ever want to have a job. And now? I can’t even do it anymore.  Maybe I should just end it all!” he said sadly.

As Ryan shoulders slumped sadly, Ray shoved his brother out of the way, unlocked the door and stormed out of his room. His footsteps could be heard tramping down the staircase, and even the front door slamming behind him.

Michael was the next to stand up. He moved closer to Ryan and put his hand on the man’s shoulder. “Ryan, I’m not going to lie to you. The only thing wrong with me is that I’m trying to change myself. I don’t want to be like my real dad. I don’t want to be like that asshole, and be that horrible husband to Lindsay, or an asshole father to my children. I see all the studies these days, I see in chemistry class, and biology class, and even on TV Specials. There’s no escaping what’s going to happen to me. I’ve got asshole in my genetics. I’m just trying to not be like that. So if that means me not being anymore? That’s what it’s going to take. So I really don’t see this as a bad thing, but rather just a necessary change. Don’t worry about me. I’ll be alright.  I’ve just…  I’ve just got to stop being ME, “he responded. He pushed past Ryan and slowly began walking on the staircase as Ray had done.

Left to their own devices Ryan and Gavin both exchange long sighs.

“You? “Ryan asked.

Gavin huffed. “I just don’t want to be a burden. There’s nothing more I’d rather do in this world than be a musician, and keep on trying to make our band work. But the fact of the matter is, there’s no way I’d be able to do that and not be a burden to dad and Geoff. So, I decided to give up music. I’ll still go to college, and I’ll still play the piano every now and then, but I can’t have my heart in it anymore. Because if I do, I’ll be a disgrace to the home Hunter name, and be a disgrace to my fathers my mothers. I don’t want to be that kid who still living at home when he’s 25, playing music in the basement, and still living out some stupid fantasy. I tried to make my dream come true, I really did. I thought people liked us, and I thought we could make this work before I graduated. But the funding is just not there, and none of us have the kind of resources to go on the road to actually try to become a popular band. Our dream is dead, but I’m not. So I guess that’s all that’s wrong with me.  I’m responsible Gavin now, as scary as that might be, “Gavin explained, chuckling to himself sadly.

He stood up from the bed and made his way towards Ryan again. He hugged his brother for a moment, and then soon left the door just as his other two brothers that done.

Left to his own devices, Ryan rubbed the bridge of his nose annoyingly.  
“I’m going to need some help on this one, “Ryan explained irritatingly to himself.

As he began to follow after his brothers, he met Michael right at the door.

His brother had his cell phone in his hands and handed it to Ryan. “Your phones been buzzing like a goddamn dildo,” he said quietly, as he turned around and went back down the staircase.

Almost as if fate had dropped the piano on his head, Ryan’s phone began to buzz again.

_"It’s Miles. We’re headed that way right now, and will we get there we have some serious ass-kissing to do. Burnie’s coming, and so is the rest of the gang, including Monty. We’re taking a company vacation to Austin to talk business and shit. Oh, and by the way, the next time you leave home without telling any of us, I’m going to put my boots so far up your ass, you’ll be tasting leather for a week. Love, Miles "_

Ryan’s face relaxed immediately. A small smile sprawled out. 

 _"Miles can handle Ray…  They’ve always been close!  I can take care of Michael, and then that’s just leaves Gavin…  I could probably talk to Cameron and Jack about him…"_ Ryan plotted mentally to himself.

He then checked his other messages. There seem to be several of them from Emily en masse.

_RYE, I called Burnie and he said you’re in Austin! Stay there, please! I’m booking a flight tonight and I’ll be there tomorrow! I’ve got news! Big news. :-)-EM_

Another message, more recent than the last seemed to be coming in as well.

_Sweetie, I’m so sorry, I’ve been trying to call you but I can’t reach you. Please call me as soon as you get this message I just have to tell you right now! “-em_

Relieved that his fiance would finally let him call her again, Ryan immediately begin tiling Emily’s number. After only a single ring the other line picked up.

“Ryan, you’re never going to believe this! “Emily said excitedly.

Ryan smile. “What? You’re coming home, that’s good enough for me, “he said in a voice, filled with gaping amounts of relief. He could feel his eyes watering.

He could hear his fiance almost sobbing on the other end of the line. She took a few minutes to collect yourself, before finally mustering up the courage.

“Ryan, sweetheart. I’m… I’m… I’m pregnant.  I’m pregnant and you’re going to be a Daddy! “she finally admitted.

With almost the exact same reaction as his fiance had done, Ryan fell backwards fainting at the news and popping his head against soft carpeting with a loud thud.

-

Having escaped the downstairs party, Dan had excused himself and walked outside. He climbed up the big oak tree that their family planted together all those years ago, and straddled himself one of the larger branches. His mind was swimming with all kinds of different thoughts. All of the great news everyone had been getting lately.

There wasn’t a doubt in his mind he was the only one out of the group that had been underwhelming in every aspect. He still hadn’t heard back from colleges, and he didn’t have his own creative side like the rest of them did. He was just Dan, the athletic guy. That was all he was.

As he laid his head back against the bark of the tree, Dan heard the sounds of feeding arms climbing up the tree, a little more struggling that he had. He glanced down, and saw that it was Austin.

Once Austin had reached his branch, Dan popped him right in front of him. While straddled in the opposite direction that he had had been, Austin began signing his fingers.

 _“What’s the matter? Your face isn’t right, “_ Austin asked with his hands.

Dan shook his head, carefully constructing his fingertips in a way that Austin could understand. “ _Not that much, just a little depressed, that’s all,_ “ he replied. There was no use in trying to lie to Austin. There was something about him being deaf that gave him incredible sight and facial recognition skills. He knew when someone was lying, and could definitely read emotions better than anyone at HomeHunters.  In fact, the agency used him from time to time as a cheap lie detector during informal interviews with potential parents.  His accuracy was astounding.

 _"About what?“_  Austin asked with a rapid signing.

Carefully, Dan answered back in the best way he thought he could.  _“I’m just not that special. Courtney’s got all of her art and comics, Lindsay’s going to be a vet, and then all of Geoff’s kids are going into really interesting fields. Me? I’m nobody special. I’m just good at soccer, and that’s all. I’m not all that smart, talented, or cool, and I wish I was better for mom and dad,_ “ he tried to explain.

Austin giggled to himself. He then quickly signed the back an answer almost immediately.

 _“You’re dumb!  Dan, you’re awesome! Don’t say you’re not special, because you’re the coolest one, but don’t tell Lindsay and Courtney. You showed me how to ride a bike, and are the strongest guy I know. You could kick anyone’s butt!”_  Austin explained.

Dan smirked. Though he signed back ananswer with slow-moving hands.   
 _"Yeah. But there’s more to life than just strength. I can’t really make a living like that. I mean, I know I’m athletic, but getting into a good professional team is almost impossible.”_

  
After rolling his eyes, Austin quickly replied. “So was Courtney getting a comic book deal. So was Ryan and all of his friends getting to make movies and stuff. So was Lindsay getting into the good school she got into! Stuff is hard, but not impossible. So don’t be sad, just try! If you don’t even try, you’ll never do any good.  That what Daddy says to all our cousins at HomeHunters camps, right?,” he signed in a furious explosion of moving fingers.

“I j _ust think there are better things I could do in this world. Things that mom and dad would be proud. Impressive things, that might make people think I really do belong in this program. I don’t know,_ “ Dan replied with a lazy set of hand motions.

Austin smiled. He pointed back into the house and begin signing away.  _“Julia’s dads say that she might die one day soon. That’s why they let Julia be a princess. They say the most important thing in life is being happy with the time we have. I think they’re right. So think if you were like Julia, and your life might end one day soon. Would you want to be happy doing fun stuff, or unhappy, doing stuff you don’t like? That’s why Princess Julia gets to go to school. It’s better than staying in the stinky hospital room all the time and being sad,”_ He signed quietly.

With those tiny little hands, Austin seemed to put a strike of shame on Dan’s face. His eyes almost opened completely to the world around him, with only a tiny bit still blind to the truth. He shook his head, and quickly ruffled Austin’s hair. He then signed away anxiously.  _“You know, for a little kid you’re pretty smart “_

Austin smirked widely, almost exactly like Joel whenever he received a compliment. “ _Yeah, because I am the best. Bow down to your king!_  “he signs with a serious fervor of near-narcissism.  


	11. Before the Midnight Hour

In the backyard of the Narvaez compound, Ray had taken residence atop the tallest tree he could find. He’d been invited to some big shindig for Ryan, but couldn’t stand the thought of another intervention.

 _"I don’t fucking need them telling me what’s wrong with me. I FUCKING KNOW WHAT’S WRONG WITH ME. It’s not something I can just fix. I… I just don’t…"_ he thought to himself degradingly.

Reaching into his backpack that he’d brought along with him for the ride, Ray grabbed a package of cigarettes and a full bottle of whiskey. He cradled the whiskey in his groin, while unpacking the cigarette lighter. “ _I’m a failure at Achievement Hunter. I’m a failure at being a brother, and just a fucking screw up in general. I’ll never be… Dammit,”_ he thought, as he stuck a cigarette in his mouth and soon motioned to light it.

"You’re too young to be doing that shit," Miles yelled.

Ray jumped a mile out of his skin, dropping the cigs and his lighter in the process. He protected the booze at all costs, catching it just before it skyrocketed out of his crotch.

"What the… FUCK, HOW DID YOU FIND ME?!" Ray shouted as Miles started climbing up the tree.

Miles chuckled. “Your sister Mia. It’s amazing how much she cares about you,” he answered back.

Slowly, Ray groaned, realizing the cat was out of the bag. He uncorked the whiskey and took a long swig. “So… I bet I know why superbrother is here to save the day!” he answered angrily.

Miles plopped down, sighing heavily.

"So Ryan sort of… Well, he filled me in on the stuff that’s been going on with you," he said, trying to hold onto Ray’s shoulder supportively.

Ray flinched at the touch and looked away. “Miles.. Don’t. You’ve been a friend for as long as I can imagine, and you’ve been my brother for even longer. The last person I want to hear from right now is you. I know I’m fucked up, but there’s nothing you can do about it. So just… Just don’t, please,” he begged. He was about to take another long drink of his beverage before Miles snatched it out of his hand.

Miles poured the bottle out from the treetop. The caramel colored liquid shimmered in the sunlight.

"This job at Achievement Hunter wasn’t supposed to break you. I’m sorry I didn’t notice this sooner Ray, and I apologize for not monitoring the comments section. That was my fault, and I’ve failed as a boss," he said quietly.

Ray tried to reach for the next bottle, but it was snatched away quite easily.

Uncorking the second bottle, Miles just chuckled. “Ray… You don’t need this shit. You working for Achievement Hunter was supposed to make you happy. It was a way that we could stay connected after all of the moving went through. I didn’t mean for it to break one of the strongest kids I’ve ever known. You.. You’re not even Ray anymore, you’re like some empty shell of a man,” he answered.

There was an emptiness inside of Ray. The words hit home and were incredibly painful to admit to himself. Though they were true. All he’d ever done since he was young was playing video games, recording them, and… Working. He’d quit enjoying that a long time ago, and had to turn to alcohol just to get through a session.

Sighing angrily, Ray just shook his head. “Then… What the fuck am I supposed to do then!? I’ve tried everything to be who I used to! I actually liked living up until a few years ago! What happened to me?!” he shouted angrily, as his faced turned a bright shade of red.

"Ray… Take a break. We’ll handle the void. I want you to do something for me, as a friend, and as your brother," Miles said, quickly taking the last bottle and uncorking it himself.

"What?" Ray mumbled sadly.

Miles patted him on the shoulder. “Find what you’re really passionate about. Forget about everything else, and find out who YOU are. Fuck everything else right now. Take a load off and just.. Live, okay?” he asked politely.

A brick, several concrete blocks, and an ACME anvil fell off Ray’s shoulders. His heart fluttered and tears started to form in Ray’s eyes.

Throwing his arms around Ray’s shoulders, Miles smiled. “Come on… Let’s get you home. You look like hell, and you look like you need about a week’s worth of rest and recuperation,” he said kindly.

+

"The Rise" Production Company was a small office on Broadway. Homey and warm, it was more like a house than an office and even had living quarters for long nights. Right between a bakery and low-quality theater, it was far from the best production company on the street, but also had a window full of awards and dozens of posters on the street advertising still running hits.

A nervous teenage intern was running around the hard-wooden floors like a maniac, holding a dozen or more scripts that needed to be looked at. It had been several weeks since they’d first started advertising for new blood, and the auditions would be starting in the next few weeks.

Though just as he had managed to organize the stack perfectly, the front door swung open dramatically.

"Mr. Risinger?" a underpaid and overworked intern assistant asked, knocking on the man’s door.

Jon huffed. “IT’S RISEMONGER,” the male answered, flipping his red and grey scarf in a huffy voice. “I’m a foul mood, so I’d get to working very quickly! Webber is starting a new play that is said to be the reincarnation of Phantom, and Maxwell Sheffield is starting Yeta’s Letters in twelve new cities. I’m a distant third in the world of theater, and the New York Times is calling me that in fine print now! AND THOSE ASSHOLE TEENAGERS THAT RUN NIGHTVALE WILL NOT GIVE ME THE RIGHTS TO PRODUCE THE PLAY VERSION! Now get me my coffee, a gallon of that flavored water I like, and some baked goods from next door. I’ll be reviewing all of these applications all day, and I scarcely think I’ll be able to handle all of this! Oh, and if I don’t find the next big talent, I’m going to murder someone!” he exploded.

His intern smiled. “Oh, yes sir.. Might I umm…. Might I suggest entry number 353? He was very good,” the man stated before dashing away from the room and running off to gather the tyrant’s requests.

Sighing, Jon shook his head and began thumbing through the auditions. Most of them were hacks, plebs, or people that had no passion whatsoever in their work. Even though without formal training could be fabulous if they had enough of the “stuff” in them. Sadly, even professionals he interviewed lack the level of emotion he wanted in his theatrical performances. A sad, but true statement of the world. Nobody wanted to be in theater or drama anymore. It was all about sciences, and that pissed him off to no end.

Finally, Jon found the video his intern had suggested. Entry 353, a paper form and a disc DVD. The submission date had been several weeks earlier. He was certainly behind on reviewing applicants, that was for sure.

Jon turned on the video after popping it into his laptop and cranking up the volume. It was lanky young man probably in his later teens, and we was at a piano with a small child, probably in their first years of schooling. Looking at the form filled out, Jon realized the larger man’s name was Gavin. He immediately took off points for the poor recording. It was like home video quality.

Preparing himself for the worst, John took off his scarf and began tying bows out of it.

"Hey Adam… What do you want to hear today?" Gavin asked.

The child thought for a moment. “Ummmmmm….. How about Pooh Bear?!” he asked excitedly.

Gavin smiled. “That’s one of my favorites!” he exclaimed.

Jon watched as Gavin’s fingertips began attacking the ivories as though they were under his every command. A familiar tune from Jon’s earlier years growing up with his brothers and sisters.

"Gotta get up, gotta get going, going to see a friend of mine! He’s warm and he’s fuzzy and I love him because he’s just POOH BEAR!, WINNIE THE POOH BEAR!" he sang loudly.

The song was warm. As if it was being sang by the original artist themselves, but over the corpse of somebody. There was HEART in the song, and a soulful elegance that was amazing. Jon suspected auto-tuning, but quickly realized that it wasn’t the case. The man was singing with his natural voice!

"And when we’re alone, and nobody’s home, it’s nice to be able to count on a friend, like POOH BEAR, Winnie the Pooh Bear!" Gavin and Adam sang in a harmonious unison. The Gavin fellow wiped away a small tear as he high fived the younger sibling.

Jon smiled as the two stopped singing and the recording slowly faded into a new scene. The Gavin fellow looked to be a year or so older, and he’d completely transformed into the image of a “rock star”. He had the flowy blond hair, complete with goatee. Though the scene was anything BUT rock. It was at a hospital, and he was sitting next to a small girl. “Happy Birthday Julia” was written in bright pink letters above her bed.

"So… Princess Julia, what can I sing for you today? I know it’s not much of a present, but people always say my singing makes them feel better!" Gavin asked politely.

The girl’s face lit up like the fourth of July. “Sing the Glow! It’s my favorite song EVER!” she begged immediately. Adults in the room all chuckled in unison as the camera started shaking slightly.

Gavin took a deep breath, and started strumming on an acoustic guitar, starting a completely new song.

"When you feel when you’re ready you’re ready to go, somewhere you’ve never been? Make a wish and the dream in you glows… Shining as bright as day, carrying you

Jon smiled. The song was warm, inspiring and nothing at all like the previous song. Whoever this Gavin was, was capable of singing in just about any kind of environment. A very impressive capability, to be sure.

During the last chorus, the Julia girl started singing along with Gavin passionately.

"Feel your strength, you can face the world, believe everyday anything is possible, a magical journey awaits…" they said, just as Gavin’s guitar strung into high gear. It was like a full orchestra of sounds and singing, yet with only two individuals and an old guitar. "THE STORY BEGINS WITH A LIGHT IN YOUR HEART, A FANTASY, A DREAM AND A SPARK! ONCE YOU BELIEVE YOU ARE READY TO SHINE, THE PRINCESS INSIDE OF YOU WILL SHOW THAT YOU ARE THE GLOW! YOU ARE THE GLOOOOOOWWWWW! You are…. The glow…" Gavin finished.

Minutes turned into hours. The video was an astonishing 3 hour concert spectacular, with a mix of home movies, talent show recordings, and even a live performance at a state fair. Jon didn’t turn off the video for a second, and was mesmerized. He ignored his assistant as he returned who kept saying that “they really needed to start hearing other performers too!”. His coffee went cold and his hot doughnuts slowly turned into mush.

Though as with all good things, the video came to an end, fading into a black space.

Jon looked up from his computer and noted that the sun was far lower in the sky than it should have been.

"Mr. Risemonger? Can I um… Can I assume that…." his assistant stammered.

Without a second of thought, Jon nodded. “Please contact Mr. Free and let him know I’d like to see him in person and audition him for my next theatrical troupe. As a matter of fact, inform him that he’ll be auditioning for a permanent spot in my company. Oh, and send flowers. I want him, and I want him NOW,” he said in a furious explosion of excitement.

+++++

Working for the McCormicks had been a great first job for Brandon. Mostly filing, grabbing coffee and doing dinner runs for the PIs who worked into the wee hours of the evening. Low stress, he got kicked out when his hours were up, and there was plenty of stories he heard that would give them TONS of material for Nightvale.

Stuck in the vault of filing cabinets in the basement, Brandon was going through a stack of files that were ANCIENT. It was apparently documents Shannon had created back before his son had joined the company. Most of them were supposed to be burned, but a few needed to be filed for legal purposes. Going through the documents would take a while, and Shannon was seriously backlogged.

Sipping his cup of Starbucks, Brandon grabbed the latest file.

"Wife cheating… Can be burned," he mumbled, throwing it into a burn box.

He grabbed another.

"Finding a long lost child? File," Brandon whispered, putting the file to his immediate right for filing.

Then came a rather thick file that he put into his lap. It was complete with photographs and a full investigation. Brandon grabbed the summary page and read the noes.

"Client Cameron Collins requested information on the murder of Isaac Free. The-"

Brandon’s face went pale.

"F.. Free?! That’s Gavin’s old name!" Brandon exploded. He quickly skimmed the rest of the summary.

"The client, Mr. Collins, described the vehicle in question. After reviewing traffic cameras and other reports of a similar vehicle blazing through red lights, I came to the conclusion that the perpetrator was Mr. Mitchell Jones. While I would have provided this information to the authorities, Mr. Jones had committed suicide several months earlier. The only living relative of Mr. Jones was a son, Mr. Michael Jones. The whereabouts of Michael could not be found, as he was placed into a special new foster system that sealed his permanent records. Mr. Collins has chosen not to disclose this information to Michael. He has requested that the documentation be burned."

Brandon dropped the paperwork to his lap. Photos and pictures of Isaac Free, a school photo of Michael, and dozens of articles about Michael’s father scattered everywhere. He grabbed a local newspaper clipping from over a decade earlier and began reading it in horror.

  
  


"Mr. Mitchell Jones, 35, was found dead this morning in his home alongside his also-deceased wife, Allison Jones. According to police, Mr. Jones had been a long-time domestic abuse offender, without any formal charges being filed. After murdering his wife, Mr. Jones then killed himself, leaving their six-year-old child, Michael Jones, behind to witness the entire spectacle."

  
  


"J… Jesus fucking Christ," Brandon mumbled, glancing at the files. "Michael’s father… Michael’s father killed Gavin’s brother! And… And they live in the same house?!" he shouted in disbelief.


	12. One Sad Path Leads to Another

Gavin awoke to the hushed muttering of Caiti and Jack in the living room. Unfurling himself from the warmth of his bedroom comforter, he popped up and made his way into the hallway.

"Who is Risinger, and why is he sending our son all of this?" Caiti asked incredulously.

Jack sighed loudly. "We did make sure to give Gavin the "internet safety" talk, right?" he asked.

Poking his head into his family's living room, he was greeted with an incredibly bright sight. Every inch of their floor and tables were covered in flowers. Flowers in vases, flowers in bouquets, flowers inside what appeared to be a priceless ming vase, and flowers just strung about the home.

Blinking wildly, Gavin just shook his head. "So... Did someone die and we're hosting a wake? Or did Valentine's day just vomit all over our living room?" he asked, picking up a venus fly trap and admiring how it seemed to lick the outer layer of its lips.

Jack and Caiti turned to Gavin.

"We hoped that you might know, actually. Do you know a Jon Risinger?" Caiti asked, handing Gavin a well-crafted card on fancy stock paper.

Taking in its hands, Gavin unfurled the card and read its contents.

  
  


_Mr. Gavin Free,_

  
  


_I humbly thank you for applying to the Risinger Production Studio. After reviewing your application, we are happy to announce that you have been selected to come to New York and perform live in front of the current cast of actors that represent RPS._

_The interview will require three parts. One in music, one in singing, and one in acting. You may choose any Broadway show to act as your interview to allow for practice until the day comes._

_Your interview date is two weeks from the date of this letter, and we politely request your reply by three days after the date of this letter. You may call the number listed on the back of the card._

_Should you pass our interview and be accepted into RPS, our next masterpiece will be starting in July of this year. I understand that you are still in school, so we are more than happy to provide you with air fair and accommodations for you and your guardian during the interview and after your graduation. Should you be accepted into RPS, we will provide you with housing for the long term prospects._

_I look forward to hearing more from you,_

_Jon Risinger_

  
  


Gavin dropped the letter from his hands, where it landed into the Venus Fly Trap's mouth. Caiti pried it from the bastard's mouth and skimmed over it immediately.

"Oh... OH MY GOD, GAVIN! This is amazing! This is THE JON RISINGER! He's the man that put on the revival of Wicked that Idena Menzeil said was the greatest production the world over! This is an amazing opportunity, oh I'm so proud of you!" she exclaimed, hugging Gavin's neck tightly.

Jack's face beamed. "Holy crap, Gavin, why didn't you tell us you applied for this?!" he asked, hugging Gavin as tightly as he could manage.

Struggling to breath from the parental love, Gavin shook out of their grip and took a moment to breath. "I.. I... I didn't! I didn't apply! I don't know what this guy is-"

The front door swung open, and revealed the bodies of Meg, Lindsay and Mia. All of them were out of breath.

"We... We... We didn't... We didn't miss it did we? We.. We got the e-mail notification and I...-" Lindsay asked, noticing that Gavin had read the letter and observed the greenhouse of flowers.

Mia turned to Meg. "Seriously, you didn't bother to tell him or at least get the letter addressed to your own house?!" she asked incredulously.

Meg folded her arms angrily. "Details, details..." she muttered, waving off the insult. She ran to Gavin and hugged him tightly. "Ohhhhh Gavy, I knew you'd get in!" she announced happily.

The room was elated in loud celebration.

Well, save for Gavin who pushed Meg away.

"Did you not get the part where I said, I'M NOT DOING MUSIC ANYMORE?!" he asked angrily. There was an anger in his voice that was a rare experience.

Meg jumped backwards, and Caiti gasped.

The room went quiet, and Gavin took the letter out of Caiti's hand and shredded it into half a million pieces. "DID YOU THINK THIS WAS CUTE? TORTURING ME FURTHER WITH SOMETHING I'D NEVER BE ABLE TO DO? DO YOU EVEN HAVE ANY IDEA HOW MUCH MONEY BROADWAY ACTORS MAKE? NOT A LOT! DID YOU THINK ABOUT HOW IT'D WORK OUT WHEN I GOT DUMPED FROM THIS? DO YOU REALLY THINK I'D MAKE SOME BIG BROADWAY CAREER OUT OF THIS?!" he screeched.

Lindsay and Mia's faces fell flat.

Gavin's face was a dark red. A mixture of sadness and anger mulling into one.

"There's no future in that... There's... There's no point wanting that kind of life anymore. Because what would it get me? A few years of happiness followed by decades of mediocrity? Sorry, but... No. I told you guys my choice back then, so you'd not expect so much out of me. Yet... Here you are. Ripping my heart further. Here I am, standing at the brink of possibly doing something I love, and... You know I can't take it. You all know that I couldn't possibly take it and expect to not be successful in life," he said darkly, grabbing his jacket from the coat rack and pushing past Mia and Lindsay at the door. He stood in the frame, gripping the door handle angrily.

Jack moved forward. "Gavin, WAIT. There's something you need to know before you throw this all away! I was going to wait until graduation, but-"

"This was the cruelest thing you could have ever done to me. All of you... I.. Just leave me alone," Gavin said, slamming the door behind him at such a force that the Pattillo family portrait fell off the mantle of their fireplace and shattered glass over the floor.

_+++++_

It hadn't taken much for Ray to move back into his first home. Although there had been a tinge of sadness from both of his biological parents, they let him leave with a smile both on their faces. Geoff and Griffon were thrilled, holding him tightly as he walked back through the front door with his backpack and luggage. Even Michael managed to break his zombie-like state and smile.

Back in his attic room, Ray was spread out over his mattress. He'd ditched the black clothing and the sad getup, wearing one of his old RWBY shirts with Weiss' emblem inverted in color on his chest.

Staring at the ceiling, Ray let out the thirtieth long sigh in the past hour. Without anything to record, or without anything to edit, he had freedom. A lonely freedom to be sure, but freedom.

"Well... This sucks," Ray thought to himself as he turned to his side. He curled into a protective ball, staring at the shelves to the side of his room. They were lined with video games he'd collected since he was a child. From the earliest Pokemon games, to the Zelda classics, and even the entire Final Fantasy franchise. Dust had gathered over them, as he hadn't touched them in what felt like years. His viewers only cared about the latest and greatest in games, not antiques.

A gentle smile covered Ray's face. He remembered all the fun times he'd had with some of those games. From the early days of playing Zelda with Miles, playing Kingdom Hearts while Gavin watched on in awe, and even the first days he moved into the house and playing Mario Kart with a teenage Ryan.

Ghosts of their old selves seemed to flitter about the room. Ray punching Miles for beating him the thirtieth time in Smash Brothers. Long nights where Gavin snuck into Ray's room to watch him break bedtime by playing 100 hour long RPGs. Michael and Ryan playing Co-op matches with Ray and Miles, while Gavin rooted for everyone's team in the background.

A little spark lit up in Ray's chest. Like a shock had gone through his spine, Ray jumped up from the bed and went straight to his shelves of games. Grabbing a handful of them that looked good, there was a devilish grin on Ray's face. He dropped them off at the entertainment system next to their respective early-gen systems. Grabbing the nearest super Nintendo cartridge he could, he blew into it and stuffed it into the SNES. He pressed the start button on the game, and switched on his television.

Covering Ray's face was a child-like smile he hadn't had in a long time.

+

There wasn't much going on in Dan's room. With all of the guests coming in from all creation, Austin had taken up residence with his older brother. The two were both surfing the web on their phones (or in Austin's case, Joel's phone that he'd snagged from the downstairs), laying down next to each other on the bed.

The speech function on Joel's phone began ringing. "Dan. I'm bored. Can we do something?" Austin asked, through Joel's monotone speech that was setup in his phone.

Dan smiled and began typing away on his phone.

_Sure. What do you want to do?_

He submitted the text message, and Austin began typing back at the speed that no child should be able to type at.

_Can we go to the arcade?_

Dan rolled his eyes.

_You're still grounded from the arcades, remember?_

Austin huffed angrily.

_Is it MY fault that the machine stole my quarter? I was just trying to get it out of the machine!_

Punching Austin softly in the shoulder, Dan laughed to himself.

_You tried to get it out with a roundhouse kick._

Rolling his eyes, Austin shook his head and gave up the line of discussion. Instead, a serious glance started to cover his eyes. He typed slowly, much to Dan's shock.

_Dan? Where do babies come from?_

As his face went white, Dan gulped loudly.

_That's something you should probably ask dad abou-_

Dan stopped typing immediately. He recalled his own "talk" he'd gotten from Joel and decided to spare Austin the horrifying talk about the "wing wangs" and the "birdy bees".

He deleted his previous text and spent a good ten minutes typing as Austin waited anxiously. Everything from sex, to puberty and even the various types of sexuality were sent to the child.

Eventually, the text wall was sent and Austin read it eagerly. His eyes scanned the pages. Though quickly, they turned to disgust, and eventually his mouth dropped. He typed back a response swiftly.

_You're joking with me right?_

Dan laughed to himself.

_Nope. Welcome to manhood._

Huffing, Austin didn't seem quite satisfied with the answer. Dan caught on to his little brother's disappointment, and started texting a new message.

_What's up? Any reason why you wanted to know?_

Looking away, Austin's fingers failed to find the strength to really type out a response. He put down the phone, ran his hands through his hair, and faced Dan directly. His hands started moving back and forth.

_Why do some babies come out good, and some don't? How come I can't hear, and how come Julia was born sick? Hope and Adam are okay. Is Emily and Ryan's baby going to be okay?_

Dan's face fell by a mile. He held up his hands nervously and tried his best to respond.

_I don't know why. Science says its just in the "blood" (DNA), and sometimes stuff just comes out differently than others. But Julia's first mommy had a baby while she was sick, so that's why she has the sickness too._

Austin was quick on the draw with his reply.

_Why was mom and dad's "blood" bad? Why did I get the bad "blood"?_

Shrugging, Dan could only shake his head in response.

_I don't know._

With sad eyes, Austin crawled into Dan's lap. He signed with one hand, barely able to lift his hands.

_I don't like it. I don't like Julia being sick, and I don't like me being deaf. It sucks._

Dan hugged his little brother tightly.

"I know kiddo... I know," Dan said aloud, letting Austin start to sob quietly in his big brother's arms.

+++++

 


End file.
